A 12-year-old and three teenagers have been charged with the murder of a man in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester.
The boy and a 17-year-old were detained on Sunday morning and two 16-year-olds were arrested on suspicion of the same offence on Saturday. The four suspects, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are due to appear at Oldham magistrates court later on Monday.
Police were called to Ashton town centre at 10.50pm on Wednesday following a report of an assault. When they arrived at the scene, outside a McDonald’s branch, officers discovered a man in his 40s with a number of injuries to his head and abdomen.
The injured man was taken to hospital, where he died in the early hours of Thursday morning. Formal identification is due to take place on Monday, but local media have named the man as Bradley Moore, a father of four.
Floral tributes were left at the scene by friends and family, with one handwritten note reading: “Dad I will miss you.” Another tribute read: “Brad you’ll always have a special place in my heart. RIP”.
Speaking when the suspects were first arrested, DI Kevin O’Regan, of Greater Manchester police, said it had been “quite a fast-moving investigation”.
“Our investigation continues and I would urge anybody with information to please contact police, no matter how insignificant you think it may be,” he added.
