Family of murdered Crosby man warned authorities not to release killer as he is jailed again
Laura Hughes says the justice system made a mockery of her brother's death
The family of a Crosby man murdered for 'no reason' say they warned the authorities not to release one of his killers, as he is jailed again for drugs and conspiracy charges.
21-year-old Colin McGinty, a joiner at the Royal Liverpool Hospital, was stabbed 15 times after being chased by four men as he walked home following a night out, in what police say was a case of mistaken identity.
A pathologist said Colin's injuries to his back and chest, likely to have been caused by two flick knives, were consistent with him trying to climb a wall to escape his attackers.
Michael Brown, 21, and Gary Hampton, 23, were found guilty of the 2001 murder and jailed for life, with a recommended minimum term of 18 years.
But Brown served just over 16 years for his part in the murder, and was released in 2017.
The McGinty family say they begged the Parole Board for killer Brown and accomplice Hampton to remain behind bars.
After his release Brown, who revelled in violence, returned to his criminal ways.
He changed his name to Michael Hoy, and used encrypted phone networks to trade in cocaine, heroin, cannabis, amphetamine and ketamine, while also trying to source assault rifles and grenades.
He was found guilty of a string of secret plots at Liverpool Crown Court.
Colin McGinty's sister Laura Hughes said her family had to be in court to see him sentenced, to represent her brother who was killed needlessly by this man.
She said: "It was terrible for my mum and dad, and the ripple effect it had not just on the immediate family, but the generations after that, like my children, who never got to meet their uncle."
After his murder, his family said: "Colin was a good lad with lots of nice friends, he had a good job and social life, but he was horrifically and horrendously attacked and killed for no reason."
Hoy, now 42, from Cressington, and Philip Moran, 51, from Newton-le-Willow were found guilty of drugs offences and conspiracies to possess explosives, weapons and ammunition.
A third man, Patrick Murray, 25, from Gloucester Road, Huyton, pleaded guilty before the trial began.
Messages from EncroChat, hacked by French and Dutch police in 2020 showed attempts to trade in class A drugs and attempts to source hand grenades, AK47 assault rifles and Uzi machine guns.
The court heard Hoy and Murray were involved in multi-kilo drugs deals of cocaine and heroin in the south Liverpool, Knowsley and St Helens areas, as well as attempting to import 50 Glock pistols and grenades.
Moran was employed by Murray as a drugs courier.
Hoy was sentenced to 20 years after being found guilty of conspiracy to possess explosives for an unlawful purpose; conspiracy to possess prohibited weapons and ammunition; and to supply cocaine, heroin, cannabis, amphetamine and ketamine.
Murray was sentenced to 16 years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess explosives for an unlawful purpose, conspiracy to supply Class A drugs (cocaine), conspiracy to possess prohibited weapons and conspiracy to possess prohibited ammunition.
Moran was given 12 years after he was found guilty of conspiring to possess prohibited weapons and ammunition; and to supply heroin, cocaine and cannabis.