Two men dead and 'killer' caged in tragic citizen's arrest gone wrong

01.04.2022 - 16:09 / dailyrecord.co.uk

A citizen's arrest ended in tragedy after two men ended up dead and one was caged.

The tragedy which unfolded on an afternoon in May 2019 have torn several families apart.

The ordeal began when garage boss Jonathan Hassall and his mechanic Benjamin Hunt were informed of a sledgehammer-wielding man nearby to their business in Longton, Staffordshire.

The man in question Christopher Walters, 25, had been damaging vehicles, Stoke-on-Trent Live writes.

They could see him on a nearby street and felt that they had to get involved in the interests of public safety.

They detained the 25-year-old, from Bentilee, and kept him on the ground until Staffordshire Police arrived.

But the police did not arrive immediately and Christopher suffered a cardiac arrest as he was being detained. He lost his fight for life at the Royal Stoke University Hospital.

Benjamin Hunt, from Heathcote Street, in Longton, later admitted a manslaughter charge and was last year handed a 38-month prison sentence. His colleague and co-accused Jonathan Hassall, aged 50, of Albert Street, Longton, killed himself just days before the manslaughter case was due back in court.

Police are called in Wood Street, in Longton, at 2.30pm on May 15, 2019. They confirm three men have been arrested in connection with the death of a man.

A damaged car in nearby Speedwall Street was cordoned off by police.

Tributes flood in for Christopher Walters following his death.

The 25-year-old was named by police six days after his death.

Friend Madison Amos said: "He was such a lovely man, loved and cared for by everyone. He was a part of our family and he will be missed a lot."

Dozens of floral tributes were left outside New Road Garage following the death of Jonathan.

He had been due to go