Man, 21, on trial over fatal stabbing attack

A MAN has gone on trial accused of stabbing a former Oldham Athletic player's son to death after an altercation outside a pub.

Police were called out to reports of a group of men and women fighting outside the Friendship Inn, in Cheap Side, Middleton, shortly after 11.30pm on Friday October 14, 2016. Officers found young dad Michael Hoolickin with multiple stab wounds.

He was taken to hospital where he later, sadly, died.

Mr Hoolickin's father Gary Hoolickin, a centre half, made 228 appearances for Oldham Athletic between 1975 and 1989.

Timothy Deakin (21), of Lever Street, Heywood, appeared at Bolton Crown Court to deny the murder of Mr Hoolickin (27).

His friend Jorge Richardson (18), of Harwood Gardens, Heywood, is also on trial and has denied a charge of assisting an offender.

Outlining the case for the prosecution, Richard Pratt QC told the court that Mr Hoolickin had been having an 'ordinary night out' with friends at the pub.

He said: "Michael Hoolickin was in the Friendship Inn with a group of friends. It seemed like an ordinary Friday night. No one could have foreseen that before the clock struck midnight, Mr Hoolickin would be injured with multiple stab wounds, from which he would later die."

The court heard that a 17-year-old friend of Deakin, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was also in the pub with the defendant's sister, but was asked to leave by the landlord after getting into an argument with Mr Hoolickin's group.

She is said to have phoned Deakin, who took a taxi to the Friendship Inn from the Summit pub in Heywood.

Once inside the pub, Deakin was said to have recognised some of Mr Hoolickin's group and exchanged 'friendly greetings'.

He was then said to have ordered his sister out of the pub, and was captured on CCTV hitting her in the face.

He has previously admitted a charge of ABH for the assault.

Mr Pratt told the court that a witness then heard Mr Hoolickin tell Deakin that he shouldn't have hit a woman, and that she believes she then saw Deakin punch Mr Hoolickin several times in the stomach.

Mr Pratt added: "It is the prosecution's case that what she thought was punching was actually a stabbing injury.

"No one condones street brawling. But fisticuffs is one thing, bringing a knife to stab another person five times when that person is unarmed is quite another thing."

The court heard Deakin and the 17-year-old left the scene and went back to the Summit to get Richardson.

Richardson is said to have taken Deakin and the 17-year-old back to his flat to wash blood stains off his clothes.

Proceeding.