Jonny HumphriesNorth West
Greater Manchester PoliceA double murderer who stabbed his great-uncle 77 times during what he claimed was a bungled attempt to steal his dog has been told he will spend the rest of his life in prison.
Direece Roche attacked his grandmother’s brother, 64-year-old Fintan McDwyer, after climbing through his bedroom window in the Fallowfield area of south Manchester in the early hours of 30 June 2024.
Mr McDwyer’s son found his father’s body in a pool of blood the following day.
Roche, from Berkeley Avenue in Longsight, was handed a whole-life prison term at Manchester Crown Court after being convicted of murder in May.
The 30-year-old had only been released on licence for a matter of months before the attack after serving 12 years in prison for the murder of Adam Steele in 2011, when Roche was 16 years old.
The court heard that on the day of his death, Mr McDwyer had been home alone as his son and and his son’s girlfriend were away at a wedding.
Family handoutGreater Manchester Police (GMP) said after searching the address detectives found audio of the struggle had been caught on a CCTV camera Mr McDwyer had set up in his living room to keep an eye on Sammy, his Staffordshire bull terrier cross.
Further CCTV footage outside the property caught a man wearing a balaclava climbing over fences to escape.
Forensic experts then found a trace of blood on one of the fences and a small torch, from which they obtained DNA profiles matching Roche.
When Roche was arrested he admitted killing Mr McDwyer but claimed he acted in self-defence and did not mean to seriously hurt him.
He told officers he entered Mr McDwyer’s house only with the intention of stealing the dog.
‘Breaks our hearts’
Det Insp Lee Shaw, who led the investigation, said: “The attack was nothing short of horrific and Fintan’s loved ones have had to suffer the horrendous consequences.
“They have shown incredible strength during this trial.”
In a statement last year, Mr McDwyer’s family described him as “a true gentleman”.
Their tribute went on: “There isn’t anyone who would say a bad word about Fintan, and it breaks our hearts that he has been denied years to be with his sons and grandchildren.”
In 2011, Roche and his older brother, 22-year-old Owen Roche, had turned up at a New Year’s Eve house party in Irlams O’ Th’ Height, Salford, looking for Owen’s girlfriend.
Police said an argument broke out outside the flat before Direece pulled a knife from his waistband and stabbed 23-year-old care worker Mr Steele.
Direece was jailed for life with a minimum term of 12 years, while Owen was convicted of manslaughter and handed an indeterminate prison sentence with a minimum term of four years.
