Man found dead at home was 'tormented' by youths

A man with learning difficulties who died at his home last night was "tormented to death" by local youths, neighbours claimed today. Police had been warned that 64-year-old David Askew was being targeted before he was found dead in Hattersley, Greater Manchester, nearby residents said. They criticised police and officials, claiming they had not supported Askew, his brother, Brian, and his mother, Rose, who uses a wheelchair. Officers were called to the family home last night after being told youngsters were causing "annoyance". When police arrived, the youths had vanished, but officers discovered Askew, who was pronounced dead at the scene. "This has been going on for about 10 years," Avona Davies, a 49-year-old neighbour, said. "We have complained to the police and council, and they put cameras in their back garden about three years ago. "They tormented David for money and cigarettes. They harassed him every night without fail." Davies said she had stopped complaining to police because "nothing gets done", adding that yesterday's harassment, by people who were "about 18 or 19 years old", had begun at around 6.30pm. "David had learning difficulties, and I think that is why they tormented him, because he would scream out of the window at them," she said. "Sometimes it would be two of them, others it would be six kids or a big gang. David would throw money and cigarettes into our garden to get rid of them, but they would always go back. That's why they did it." Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, said she had lived near the Askews for 39 years. "Last night, I came out to talk to a neighbour and there was a body on the ground under a white sheet," she said. "We didn't know who it was then. I said: 'If it is David, his misery is over.'" The woman said she believed the gang had come from a neighbouring area to target Askew. "Not that many children live around here, so this gang comes from elsewhere," she added. "They would come and bait David ... he was a harmless soul. They would wind him up something dreadful. Every year, the youngest brother would join in – the next generation. "They always knew he would retaliate. It is tragic – like bear-baiting – tormented to death." The case has echoes of the death of Fiona Pilkington , who killed her disabled daughter and herself by setting fire to her car after suffering years of abuse from youths. It is unclear how Askew died. The results of a postmortem examination later today, but Chief Superintendent Zoe Hamilton, of Greater Manchester police, said he had not been physically attacked. "My team and the neighbourhood team have been in daily contact virtually with David and his family to address the problems they have been having," she said. "It's a sad fact that if people are different in a community, sometimes they end up being targeted. "I think we have done everything we can. The level of personal involvement my staff and housing officers have had cannot be stressed enough."