The heartbroken dad of a 15-year-old schoolboy murdered in a horror ‘Snapchat stabbing’ says his son finally has ‘closure’ after his killers’ name were made public.
Reece Tansey’s last words were to pin the blame on his attacker James White, who stabbed him six times on a street in Bolton, and accomplice Mark Nuttall, who stood by and watched.
Devastated by the tragic loss of his son, Ian Nice said it was a ‘relief’ the pair were formally identified after Justice Farbey lifted an order, which previously stopped the press from naming them prior to their 18th birthdays.
The 47-year-old dad, who described Reece as his ‘best friend’, said his son would have wanted his killers’ names to be revealed.
He said: ‘It would have been hard for Reece that they weren’t named, and now he’s got closure.
‘It was also hard because we couldn’t put anything on social media. We couldn’t put the names out there, but now it’s a relief.
‘I know that Reece wanted to carry that on, with them being named. Reece’s last words before he died were the names of the lads.’
A three-week trial at Manchester Crown Court heard how White and Nuttall had arranged to fight Reece over Snapchat.
During the evening on May 4, the two, pretending to be ‘gangsters’, crept out of their home armed with a knife each and headed to meet their victim near Great Lever Park.
When he arrived alone and unarmed, Reece was fatally stabbed by White.
Desperately trying to find help, the teenager staggered to a nearby property where he used his dying breath to identify his killers’ names to the police.
His dad, who works in traffic management, said that he last spoke to Reece in the hours before his death, inviting him over to his home for a takeaway.
Mr Nice said: ‘I’m so annoyed he didn’t come to mine that night – I blame myself. But I couldn’t push Reece, I couldn’t force him to come to mine.
‘I brought him into the world. I held him in my hands when he was born, and I cut the cord. And not me being there on his last moments in life, that hurts me.
‘But I’m so proud of him. If I had been stabbed several times, I’m sure I would have fallen to the floor and that would be it.
‘He knocked on someone’s door crying for help, and they held his hand – they were with him until he died. I thanked the people dearly for what they did for my son and spoke to them.’
White, 16, was found guilty of Reece’s murder and jailed for 15 years after a trial, while Nuttall, 15, was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to six years behind bars.
The victim’s family is now appealing the length of Nuttall’s jail term and Mr Nice believes that the sentences that the pair received will not deter teenagers from carrying knives in the future.
He said: ‘There has to be a law and tougher sentences for knife crime because there are kids killing kids.
‘The government are not doing anything about knife crime. They can f****** throw parties, but Boris should be sitting down to deal with knife crime.
‘He should be getting tougher punishments, tougher sentences and more police on the streets.
‘You’re not carrying a knife to cut potatoes and carrots on a street. You’re carrying a knife intentionally to kill someone.’
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