Tyson Fury and his cousin Rico Burton
A man has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 28 years before parole for the murder of Rico Burton, the cousin of world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury.
Liam O’Pray was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court over the murder which took place during a brawl outside a bar.
O’Pray stabbed 31-year-old Burton in the neck with a seven-inch lock-knife in the early hours of 22 August last year.
After Mr Burton’s death in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, Fury paid tribute to him on social media.
In an Instagram post, Fury wrote: “Life is very precious and it can be taken away very quick. Enjoy every moment … RIP Rico Burton may the lord god grant you a good place in heaven. See you soon.”
O’Pray was convicted of the murder following a three-week trial last month.
The 22-year-old was also found guilty of wounding with intent by slashing and stabbing Harvey Reilly, 17 at the time and now 18, during the same incident.
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Police at the scene were “instrumental” in saving the life of Mr Reilly, but the injuries to Mr Burton, a father-of-one, were so severe he died shortly after in hospital.
The scene following the stabbing
CCTV played during the trial showed a fight erupt between O’Pray’s friends and Mr Burton’s family and friends at Goose Green, a courtyard of bars.
O’Pray, from Salford, had earlier been refused entry to a bar and the jury heard he told a doorman he was a professional boxer and would be back to “cause him an issue”.
He was described as a “loose cannon” and “very erratic” by witnesses – one of whom said “absolute chaos” broke out shortly after 3am.
O’Pray already had a conviction for carrying a knife in public before the murder, but told the jury: “I’m not a violent person.”
Prosecutor Michael Brady KC told the court it was “standard” behaviour for O’Pray to go out drinking, causing trouble while armed with a knife.
Sentencing O’Pray on Friday, Judge Alan Conrad KC told him: “You were a stabbing waiting to happen.
“Yet again this court has to deal with the death, injury and devastation as a result of a knife being taken out.
“You can blame all manner of things but the fact is you, and others like you who chose to carry knives, that’s the problem.”
Cannabis, cocaine and ketamine were found in O’Pray’s blood and he had three wraps of cocaine on him when he was arrested.
In a victim impact statement read in court, she said: “Throughout the whole traveller community Rico will never be forgotten.
“On the day he died, a piece of me died inside. I have had my heart ripped out and cut into pieces.”
