F EATURE
He w as full of confidence and h e w as so funny – h e alw a ys had ev ery b o d y laughing.
Michael with his beloved Niece
In an official statement, it’s alleged that e was 14 when he turned round
Alker said during the attack: “He’s a little
Michael was a trainee hairdresser. He was
queer, he deserves it.”
passionate about it and Marie says he was
to me and said ‘mum, I think I’m gay.’
After
so-called
very talented: “He would come home all
Marie tells Seen Magazine.
old friend, Kyle, left the house in a taxi
the time with a different hair style, and it
“I looked into his beautiful eyes and said
at 9pm, believed to be aware that the
always looked great.
‘that’s great – you should be free to be
teenager was badly seriously injured.
“He was full of confidence and so funny –
who you are.”
Around this time, Alker, O’Connor and
he always had everybody laughing.”
Little did Marie know at that time, that
Binsteed moved a badly beaten Michael
Michael being who is was, openly, would
and dumped him at nearby waste ground
Now, two years on and months away from
one day lead to his death.
before fabricating a story to cover their
what would have been Michael’s 21st
On July 24 2008, the teenager, then 18,
wrong doing.
birthday, Marie’s aim to launch a new
was out with an old school friend, Kyle
They
was
foundation to help young people who
Kennedy, in a Prescot pub. Other people
attacked by strangers, and they had
are gay to feel more accepted in society.
joined them for a drink, including James
helped to fight them off. They visited him
“I feel Michael’s death was not given the
O’Connor and Michael Binsteed.
in his hospital bed, they paid condolences
justice it deserves,” she says. “There were
After being in the pub for some time,
to his family and they left sympathy cards
four people involved in his murder – and
the
at the place Michael was found after the
those four should be in prison.
attack.
“I won’t stop fighting for justice – but in
group
went
back
to
Binsteed’s
grandmother’s house and were joined by
the
told
attack,
police
Michael’s
that
Michael
the meantime I want to use the tragedy
Gavin Alker. It wasn’t until the truth was uncovered that they faced a jury in Crown Court –
company – until later that evening when
and only one of them was jailed. James
he was subjected to a barbaric beating,
O’Connor was sentenced to 23 years
“I’ve heard lots of really sad stories about
behind bars for the murder of Michael
teenagers and people in their early 20s
Causer.
who are kicked out of the family home
thought
he
was
leaving him close to death. 18
to help young people.”
friendly
Michael
seenmag.co.uk
in