Murderer who killed again after being released from prison will die behind bars

A convicted murdererwho killed again just months after being released from prison has been told he will die behind bars.

Direece Roche was just 16 when he stabbed 23-year-old Adam Steele to death on New Year’s Day in 2011 after a row in the street. He was handed alife sentence and ordered to serve at least 12 years. But in June 2024 - just nine months after being released - Roche went on to murder his second victim, his great uncle.

He climbed through a window at Fintan McDwyer’s home in Fallowfield, Manchester, before stabbing the 64-year-old 77 times to the face, head and body during a ferocious assault. In court, Roche claimed that Mr McDwyer had sexually abused him as a child. But a jury rejected his case and he was found guilty of murder.

• Seaside castle flat for sale with private beach and famous former owner
• M5 traffic LIVE: National Highways warns of delays on major motorway after crash

Sentencing him to a whole life order at Manchester Crown CourtMr Justice Bright described Mr McDwyer as an '”entirely innocent person”. saying the murder was “premeditated with significant planning”. He told Roche: “My clear impression is that you have no remorse or regret of any kind.”

Roche's whole life order means he will never be eligible for parole. He is now among the less than 100 prisoners, among a prison population of about 80,000, serving the rare punishment. Others serving such sentences include baby killer Lucy Letby, Mark ‘The Iceman’ Fellows and former police officer Wayne Couzens.

Prosecutors told Roche’s trial that in 2011, he had been involved in a confrontation in the street in Irlams O’ Th’ Height, in Salford. He produced a knife and stabbed care worker Mr Steele to the chest.

Roche admitted murder and was sentenced to life in prison, to serve a minimum of 12 years. Within about nine months of his release in June last year, he murdered Mr McDwyer, who lived with his 26-year-old son and his dog Sammy.

The dog was originally owned by his sister, Maureen, who had passed away. Maureen was Roche’s grandmother, making Mr McDwyer his great uncle.

Mr McDwyer’s son and his girlfriend were away for the night of June 29 at a wedding, leaving his father alone in the house. Mr McDwyer was seen on CCTV from the living room, which had been installed to allow him to keep an eye on the dog when he was out. He locked up the back door and went to bed.

In the early hours of the morning, Roche made his way to the house wearing a balaclava. He climbed in through an open window.

After brutally murdering Mr McDwyer Roche was seen on CCTV escaping over neighbouring fences. Officers later found a small torch, which contained Mr McDwyer’s blood and Roche’s DNA, and a blood smear in a garden nearby.

Mr McDwyer’s body was discovered by his son on July 1. A postmortem report concluded that Mr McDwyer suffered a “sustained assault”, involving repeated stabbing to his head and body, and slashes to his lower face and neck.

Giving evidence, Roche claimed to jurors that he was abused as a boy by Mr McDwyer. Bill Baker KC, prosecuting, said: “The police investigated those allegations. The evidence gathered refuted them. They simply don't fit what is known of Fintan McDwyer.”

Mr Baker said the allegations had been “callously fabricated to prove a false defence”. He said that Roche may have been motivated by a mistaken belief that Mr McDwyer “bore some responsibility for his mother's death”.

Roche's mother was 13 when she took her own life, the court heard. She had written a letter prior to her death in which she said she had been abused by an uncle. Mr Baker said there were 13 people she could have been referring to.

In statements read out on their behalf, Mr McDwyer’s sons paid tribute to their father and hit out at the “slanderous allegations” made by Roche. His eldest son Jonathan said: “On July 1, 2024, the life of our family changed forever. You took away my leader, my hero, the most gentle and loving father I could ask for. My role model, gone.”

He said that Roche told “blatant lies” about his father adding: “Only when backed into a corner with the evidence against you, did you decide to make up such slanderous allegations.

“I'm glad that the court, the jury and the justice system saw through these lies. As a family, we were forced to attend court and listen to this day after day, when you knew full well what you had done.”

Daniel McDwyer said: “No-one should ever think they have the right to take someone's life. You thought that justice was served, but ultimately you cowardly killed an elderly man while he was sleeping.”

Ryan McDwyer said: “I don't believe one word of the testimony that Direece provided. The fact is, he has brainwashed himself into having a warped idea of my dad. You are a coward for doing what you did to my dad, knowing he was not able to defend himself.

“I genuinely hope you never see the light of day again. You forced us to listen to blatant lies you made up about my dad. It is unforgiveable.”

The judge said the murder of Mr McDwyer would raise questions about why Roche was ever released. At the time of his release he was described as a “model prisoner” and regarded as a “reformed character”.

Mr Justice Bright said he had “sympathy” with those who decided that Roche should be released, describing the killer as “deceptive”.