Man sentenced for affray prior to Sam Cook murder

A man has been given a four month sentence suspended for 18 months with 200 hours unpaid work, for affray in connection with an incident at Empire Nightclub in Liverpool City Centre last October.

20-year-old Jack Farley from Martlett Road in West Derby was originally arrested on suspicion of assault in February 2018, but was subsequently charged with affray in December. He pleaded guilty to the offence and was sentenced today, Wednesday 9 January.

The offence occurred immediately prior to the murder of Sam Cook on Saturday 21 October 2017, for which Carl Madigan was convicted earlier this year.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Baker said: "Carl Madigan is serving a significant prison sentence for the murder of Sam, and we have now fully investigated and dealt with everyone involved on the night in question.

"Although Farley was not involved in the incident to such a tragic degree as Madigan, his actions were nonetheless part of a devastating set of circumstances, and we hope that this gives Sam's family some form of closure and comfort as they continue to come to terms with their loss.

"They have shown dignity and strength throughout this process, and their determination to help us and our partners tackle the issue of knife crime will help make a real difference, to anyone who considers carrying dangerous weapons on our streets."