Murderer tried to buy illegal knife a month before killing of friend, coroner told

A man who murdered his friend was visited by police after trying to buy an illegal knife a month before the killing, a coroner has heard. A pre-inquest review into the death Ashley Walsh was held at Manchester Coroners' Court on Thursday (November 28).

Mr Walsh, 34, was brutally attacked by Gerard McGlacken and his nephew Aaron Evitt, on January, 2022. A criminal trial heard he was hit over the head with a hammer before being repeatedly stabbed in the chest at McGlacken's Collyhurst flat.

The trial heard Mr Walsh visited the pair at the Kintore Walk property with his dog. They drank together before Evitt 'flipped out' following an argument. Mr Walsh was attacked before McGlacken 'chopped up' his body, the trial heard.

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Days later, his remains were found in four suitcases at Sandhills Park. McGlacken and Evitt were jailed for life for murder in July 2022 - ordered to serve a minimum term of 28 years at Manchester Crown Court.

During Thursday's hearing, coroner Zak Golombek heard submissions on whether an inquest should be held before a jury and the scope of the evidence to be heard.

Mr Walsh's family told the coroner they wanted to know the risk Evitt and McGlacken posed prior to the tragedy. Both were on probation at the time after being released from prison following an attempted burglary, the court was told.

The court heard police visited McGlacken's home the previous December after he tried to purchase an illegal 'gravity knife' - a type with a blade concealed in the handle - from a foreign website.

His purchase was flagged by Border Force officials, who alerted the Greater Manchester Police. The court heard it was 'unlikely' the probation service staff were notified of this incident.

The court heard of calls to police relating to domestic disturbances, including an occasion in which officers were asked to remove Evitt from his ex-partner's home. GMP said there was 'discussion of violent threat' and that 'no crime was reported'.

Mr Golombeck said he didn't want to stray into 'the realm of conspiracy', but assured Mr Walshes family he would keep the incidents in mind when coming to a conclusion.

The full inquest will begin on March 24 last week and is expected to last five days.