Tyson Fury hits out at 'most cowardly' knife attacker who murdered his cousin and demands change

Tyson Fury urged lawmakers to get tough on knife crime in the aftermath of his cousin's murder. Rico Burton, 31, died after being stabbed in the neck by Liam O’Pray, during a mass brawl in Altrincham.

O'Pray, 22, had armed himself with a lock knife during a 3am brawl outside King Pong bar in the early hours of August 21 last year. He plunged the knife into Mr Burton's neck, which 'almost completely divided' a major artery, causing 'a massive, fatal haemorrhage'.

He was rushed to hospital, but was pronounced dead that same morning at 4.35am. A post-mortem examination gave his cause of death as 'a stab wound to the neck'.

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Speaking to talkSPORT on August 24 last year, Tyson, from Wythenshawe, described stabbing someone as 'the most cowardly little s**th**** thing anybody can do'.

He added: "The United Kingdom is supposed to be one of the safest countries in the world, and yet we can't go down the street with a watch on our wrist or anything because we're going to get stabbed. The Government needs to make this tougher on these little cowards who carry knives and weapons."

Three days earlier, Tyson took to Instagram to confirm the death of his cousin. He wrote: "This is becoming ridiculous - idiots carry knives.

"This needs to stop. Asap, UK Government needs to bring higher sentencing for knife crime, it's a pandemic and you don't know how bad it is until it's one of your own!

"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."

Jurors at Manchester Crown Court, who today found O’Pray guilty of murdering Mr Burton, heard how he had been