Arrogant and staring menacingly into the camera, this is the mugshot of the 'loose cannon' who murdered Rico Burton. Liam O'Pray's custody photograph gives some hint at his violent, swaggering nature.
On Friday (August 4), O'Pray was jailed for life with a minimum term of 28 years for the murder of much-loved Mr Burton, whose heartbroken family has issued a new tribute.
O'Pray, 22, stabbed 31-year-old Mr Burton to death in Altrincham town centre in the early hours of August 21 last year. Following a trial at Manchester Crown Court, he was found guilty of murder and of wounding with intent in relation to another man, Harvey Reilly, who was also seriously hurt.
A jury heard O'Pray, from Salford, armed himself with a lock knife, which he plunged into Mr Burton's neck during a 3am brawl outside King Pong bar. Join our FREE Manchester Crime and Court WhatsApp group by clicking here The wound 'almost completely divided' a major artery in Mr Burton's neck, causing 'a massive, fatal haemorrhage'.
Read more on manchestereveningnews.co.uk