Padiham man admits to manslaughter of another man in the town last year

Police officers were called to Coronation Avenue at 10-33am on November 25th last year, to reports of a sudden death.

Emergency services attended and sadly found 57-year-old Stephen deceased inside a house.

A Home Office post mortem examination concluded that Stephen died as a result of multiple abdominal injuries and scalp injuries.

Wayne Dawson (57) of Burnley Road, Padiham, was arrested at the scene and later charged with murder.

He appeared before a judge at Preston Crown Court yesterday (November 30th) and pleaded guilty to manslaughter. That plea was deemed acceptable by the prosecution and the police following a comprehensive review of the evidence available.

Dawson was remanded into custody to be sentenced on February 28th.

Det. Chief Insp Allen Davies, of the Force Major Investigation Team, said: “First and foremost my thoughts remain with Stephens’s family at this time.

“Stephen died as a result of senseless violence inflicted by Wayne Dawson, a man who is very much old enough to know better. One of the very tragic aspects of this case is that Stephen had taken Wayne in as a lodger and that kindness was repaid with appalling and cowardly violence.

“While nothing will ever bring Stephen back, at least his family know that the man responsible for his death has now been convicted and will be sentenced in due course.”

Following Stephen’s death, his family said in a tribute: “He was very well known, always out walking Murphy, his dog.

“Stephen was always talkative and friendly. He was very popular.”