In a case that has shocked the community of Fallowfield, Manchester, two cousins have been sentenced for a brutal attack that led to the death of Warren Burns. The attack, described by authorities as “sickening and premeditated,” stemmed from a long-held grudge against Mr. Burns.
On May 21, Warren Burns, aged 37, was subjected to a violent assault in his own home on Heysham Avenue, Fallowfield. The attack, which occurred in the presence of his partner and baby son, involved being punched, kicked in the head, and stamped on. Mr Burns was found unconscious and severely injured in an upstairs bedroom and was rushed to Salford Royal Hospital, where he tragically died three days later.
Ryan White, 29, was convicted of murder after a trial at Manchester Crown Court and has been sentenced to a minimum of 17 years in prison. His cousin, Damian White, 34, was found guilty of manslaughter and has received an 11-year prison sentence.
Greater Manchester Police revealed that the attack was the culmination of a longstanding grudge the White cousins harboured against Mr Burns. This animosity reportedly dates back to 2018 when Ryan’s brother, Noel White, was killed after a night out with friends, including Mr Burns. The man accused of murdering Noel was acquitted, a decision the White family believed was influenced by Mr Burns’ witness testimony.
The situation escalated the day before the attack, with a verbal altercation between the White and Burns families at a festival in Platt Fields Park. This confrontation acted as the catalyst for the tragic events that followed.
Investigations unveiled that the assault was meticulously planned. CCTV footage showed two vehicles used by the attackers to reach and leave Heysham Avenue. Phone evidence also placed Ryan and Damian White in the vicinity at the time of the attack and demonstrated communication between them before and after the incident.
In a statement, Detective Inspector Louise Edwards commented on the senselessness of the violence, emphasizing the tragic loss for Mr Burns’ family. “Warren had just welcomed his second child and was set to enjoy life as a father of two. His life was cruelly taken in an act of sickening and unprovoked violence,” she said.
The Burns family, mourning their loss, remembered Warren as a “gentle giant” with a “big heart and gentle soul.” Known for being the life of the party, Warren’s fun-loving and outgoing nature was fondly recalled. His family stated, “Even though Warren has been taken away so cruelly from us, he will remain in our hearts forever and will not be forgotten.”
