Manchester man shot dead in Ukraine was unlawfully killed in act of 'cowardice and dishonour', coroner concludes

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A former paratrooper from Manchester shot in Ukraine after forming a mercy company to help injured soldiers from the country fighting on the frontline against Russia was unlawfully killed, a coroner has concluded Daniel Burke, 36, died 'with bravery and valour' but was killed by 'cowardice and dishonour', an inquest into his death heard today (Friday, December 13).

Wythenshawe-born Mr Burke - described as a proud Mancunian who was 'heavily affected' by the Manchester Arena bombing in May 2017 - was shot by 'someone who purported to be on his side, but was clearly not', the coroner said. READ MORE: Two schools placed on lockdown after stabbing with cordons in place - updates He had travelled to the Ukraine to support the resistance against Russia at the time, but disappeared on August 11, 2023.

His body was found in what was described at the inquest as an 'old abandoned training ground' near the district of Zaporizhzhya on September 16, seven weeks after his death.

Manchester Coroners' Court was told a pathologist gave a cause of death as 'multiple gunshot wounds'. The court heard he was hit in the head, neck and chest by bullets fired from an AKS74U assault rifle.