Please find John's killer

10:59am Thursday 28th August 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

THE heartbroken mother and brother of a man killed by a hit and run driver in Stretford have launched a fresh appeal to find the person responsible for his death.

On the eve of John Ryan's 29th birthday, which would have been last Saturday, Ann and Steve Ryan, of Ponsonby Avenue, asked the public for information about his death.

Ann, 56, said: “Somebody out there is responsible for the death of our son and I would very much like them to come forward.

“It’s a living nightmare because every day you’re hoping something is going to turn up, but we’ve not been that lucky.

“Someone must have seen something, after that happened.

“The windscreen or the car would have been damaged and surely somebody noticed it.

“If you were a passenger in that car can you find it in your hearts to come forward?

“I can’t find the words to explain our loss and how the person responsible can live with themselves for what they’ve done.”

Steve, 26, said: “The past few months have been extremely difficult, not knowing what has happened to John, his final hours, it is very difficult for the family and friends to bear with.

“What I’d say to the driver is that they’ve had more than four months now to think about what they’ve done. It must be resting on their conscience.”

John was found dead on Kingsway at around 1.30am on Saturday, April 12.

He had been on a night out with friends at the Moss Trooper pub in Timperley and had come back to Stretford in a taxi.

A post mortem examination revealed his injuries were consistent with being in collision with a vehicle.

Steve added: “There’s also the matter of the taxi driver who dropped John off. We’d really like to get in touch with the driver. We’re going to find it very difficult to close the book. We just want to have some answers.”

Ann, 56, and husband Steve, 58, celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary yesterday (August 27).

Ann added: “Given John would have turned 29 and it was our wedding anniversary it’s such a loss that the star of the show isn’t going to be here and it won’t be quite the same without him because he was always the life and soul of the party.”

Steve, who descibed his brother as a massive Bryan Ferry fan said: “I’ve lost and couldn’t have wished for a better brother and his friends would say the same. He was a best mate to everyone.”

On the evening John died he was wearing a jacket and trousers in camouflage print, with a black t-shirt underneath his jacket, a beige scarf and black shoes.

Detective Constable Simon Johnson of Stretford CID said: “Answers are what we need, answers from the person who was driving the vehicle that night, or his or her family and friends. We need to know the vehicle and where it is now. The vehicle had windscreen damage we know that. We need to know where that vehicle is and who repaired it. ”

Anyone with information should contact Stretford CID on 0161 856 8314 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.