MANCHESTER – A teenager who persistently harassed a man with severe learning difficulties up to the day of his death was yesterday ordered to serve 16 weeks in an institution for young offenders.
David Askew (64) collapsed after confronting youths in his garden in Hattersley, Greater Manchester, in March this year and died shortly after.
Police officers were called after reports that youngsters were causing a disturbance at the house he shared with his brother Brian – who also suffers learning difficulties – and their wheelchair-bound 89-year-old mother, Rose.
Kial Cottingham (19), who lived doors away from the family, yesterday pleaded guilty to harassing Mr Askew for cigarettes over a three-month period. He had initially pleaded not guilty to the charge.
He gave a television interview the day after Mr Askew’s death in which he claimed he was “shocked” about the incident and said he would often step in to deter other local youths from constantly haranguing him.
Cottingham was also questioned on suspicion of manslaughter but was cleared of any involvement in Mr Askew’s death.
Mr Askew was later found to have died of natural causes.
Following his death it emerged that Mr Askew and his family had been subjected to prolonged harassment. Cottingham admitted using intimidating, threatening and aggressive behaviour to get cigarettes from Mr Askew.
Vanessa Thomson, prosecuting, said the Askew family were a “close-knit unit who all looked looked after each other”. She said Mr Askew was a quiet man who had problems which prevented him from engaging in any form of intelligent conversation.
“It was because of his difficulties he became a target of antisocial behaviour in the area,” she said. “He was referred to as ‘Dopey Dave’, he was deemed simple and he would bite the back of his hand when he became upset and agitated. He was seen as a soft touch by youths who targeted him.” – (PA)