‘Vigilantes' murdered innocent dad-of-one they thought was a paedophile
Two men murdered a dad-of-one they mistakenly thought was a paedophile.
Mark Roberts and David Garland killed Michael Wheeler after they found news reports about a man – also called Michael Wheeler – who sexually abused two 13-year-old girls in 2003.
Prosecuting, David Elias, KC, said Mr Wheeler, 37, from Yeovil, Somerset, was not the same person and had no convictions for child sexual offences.
He was also friends with both men but owed £100 to Roberts.
When Mr Wheeler disappeared, his mum was suffering from a terminal illness and passed away before she found out what happened to her son.
Bristol Crown Court heard Mr Wheeler was attacked at Roberts' flat in August last year, and suffered 11 skull and facial fractures.
Garland and Roberts then hid his body, and three weeks after Mr Wheeler's death, police received information he had come to serious harm.
They found no proof of his being alive after 24 August 2024. One of the last sightings of him was on CCTV at a petrol station just a few hours before his death.
His remains were eventually found in a derelict caravan on farmland in Yarlington on Wednesday 25 September.
Detective Superintendent Lorett Spierenburg said: 'Michael Wheeler was brutally murdered by people he had considered as friends. More Trending
'He was killed over a £100 debt and because they wrongly decided he had been jailed for child sex offences in 2003, when he would have been just 16 years old.
'The defendants gave Michael no opportunity to tell them they were wrong. Instead, they took the life of a man whose last words to his ex-wife were of love for her and their daughter.'
Roberts, 39, of Juniper Close, and Garland, 40, of no fixed abode, were both remanded in custody pending a sentencing hearing, expected to be Friday 13 June.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: Man, 20, charged with terrorism and hoax threat to blow up his local Asda
MORE: Boy, 16, killed in Sheffield 'hit and run' was walking 'to pick up a takeaway'
MORE: Retired vicar admits role in 'Eunuch Maker' extreme body modification ring
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Ross Monaghan: From Glasgow street thug to running with global cartel bosses
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) EIGHT years ago Ross Monaghan was lucky to escape after an attempt on his life in broad daylight. But last weekend, the Lyons senior gang member was shot dead along with Eddie Lyons Jnr in a brutal hit in Fuengirola, Costa del Sol. 6 Ross Monaghan was shot dead along with Eddie Lyons Jnr in the Costa del Sol Credit: Alan MacGregor Ewing - The Sun Glasgow 6 The pair were shot in a horror gangland bloodbath at Monaghan's Irish bar in Fuengirola 6 A masked gunman shot Lyons Jnr dead outside the pub before turning his attention to Monaghan Credit: Les Gallagher - The Sun Glasgow Monaghan had a £250,000 price tag on his head over a feud with the Spanish drugs cartel linked to the south of England, it's been claimed. Sources say threats had been made in the months leading up to Saturday's double execution, but it wasn't the first time that someone had tried to kill Monaghan. In January 2017, it was just like any other day in the Glasgow area of Penilee as parents took their children to school. But little did they know there was a gunman lying in wait with a kids buggy which had a firearm in it. The gunman honed in on target Monaghan and fired two shots, one hitting him in the shoulder, the other missing. Monaghan was wearing a bulletproof vest at the time and quickly fled to Spain following the attack. Mark Richardson and Martyn Fitzsimmons were both tried then cleared of the gangland hit on Monaghan at the time. Monaghan had previously been cleared of killing Kevin 'Gerbil' Carroll after a judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to convict him. The Gerbil was a feared Daniels clan enforcer known for extreme violence to anyone who got in his way or crossed him. Carroll's earliest brush with the law came in 2004 when he was charged with attempted murder. The FULL story of Scotland's biggest gangster Jamie 'The Iceman' Stevenson Coming This Sunday He was accused of shooting John Madden, a pal of Eddie Lyons Snr, with an AK-47 but the case later collapsed. Carroll, who was from Milton, then made the headlines in 2006 when he was hit in the stomach in a drive by shooting. Four years later, Carroll and associate Ross Sherlock were hit at 10pm one evening as they stood talking to others at the roadside in Bishopbriggs next to their BMW X5 - a favourite set of wheels for criminals at the time. Nobody has been charged with that crime which left Carroll fighting for his life in Glasgow Royal Infirmary under the guard of armed police. The Gerbil was then shot dead in the Asda car park in Robroyston in January 2010 in an attack that took just 25 seconds. A car pulled up just before 1.30pm, two gunmen got out and fired 13 shots into the back of The Gerbil's Audi A3 as stunned shoppers looked on. Monaghan was arrested in July that year and put on trial for the gangland hit but he denied all charges against him and lodged a special defence of incrimination against eight people. The trial collapsed due to insufficient evidence. 6 The Gerbil was shot dead in the Asda car park in Robroyston in January 2010 Credit: Universal News and Sport (Europe) 6 Monaghan was arrested in July that year and put on trial for the gangland hit but he denied all charges Credit: PA:Press Association Eddie Lyons Jnr, Stephen Lyons and Ross Monaghan all grew up in Milton. In 2000, the Lyons family had infiltrated a publicly funded community centre in the area. They took control of the Chirnsyde Community Initiative which received over £1.4million in taxpayer funding and turned out to be a front for organised crime and laid the groundwork for a bloody feud with the rival Daniel Crime Clan. Eddie's father ended up in the dock after he admitted racking up more than a quarter of a million pounds in mortgage frauds by giving lenders fake income details. In April 2016, Eddie Jnr and Monaghan later appeared before the same court but were cleared of a vicious street attack on three men outside a bar in East Dunbartonshire which took place in April 2016. But the trial collapsed when two of the alleged victims said they had no memory of what happened to them. After the attempt on his life outside the school in Penilee, Monaghan fled to Spain and he struck up a relationship with the Irish Kinahan crime cartel. Monaghan is said to have been instrumental in building an alliance between the Lyons family and the world's most wanted gang when he boldly approached godfather Daniel Kinahan several years ago. He formed a relationship with the global mob boss that has prevailed ever since, giving the Lyons extra power and control over Scotland's illegal drug trade. Former top cop Graeme Pearson said: 'Monaghan started out as a young man trying to make his way in his business and would have to be trusted to do that. 'He was part of a group which became known for extreme violence. Monaghan going on trial for murder and being acquitted through lack of evidence proved his bottle to the gang. 'Then he was shot at and survived. He earned his stripes in that world. "And it all becomes part of a growing criminal CV. But people like Monaghan make enemies everywhere.' Pearson says he tried to warn of the threat posed by super cartels 20 years ago. He said: 'The South Americans realised their relationship with America was breaking down. Their drugs and money were being seized and they started looking for another business plan. 'Europe was ready and waiting for cocaine. The nation states had lowered their borders, so moving between them became very easy. 'The only problem was getting the product in. It started with West Africa, then Spain and then the Dutch ports. 'Gangs from all over Europe, which had previously been involved with other types of drugs, sex trafficking and theft, all became interested. 'Glasgow gangs were involved in shoplifting jewellery and gold and had contacts in other countries who were willing to buy and sell. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the authorities to pay much attention.' 6 Monaghan boldly approached godfather Daniel Kinahan several years ago Credit: The Sun Monaghan's links with the Kinahan cartel Irish Sun crime editor Stephen Breen, who wrote the book Kinahan Assassins along with colleague John Hand, knows all about the Irish crime cartel. He revealed that Ross Monaghan came up while the pair were doing research for their book. Stephen said: 'Ross Monaghan had cropped up in terms of someone who had connections to Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh. 'He's now serving time for drug trafficking but it shows you the Kinahan reach, the tentacles are spread far and wide. 'We were doing research for the book and his name came up in terms of having meetings around 2016-2017 with the Kinahan organisation. 'The Kinahan organisation had a branch in the UK, and the CEO of that branch was Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh. 'He was meeting individuals from Glasgow, from Liverpool, from Birmingham, from London and it was all about the wholesale trafficking of drugs into the UK. He added: 'You always have organised crime groups calling on their associates, calling on their resources and their contacts across Europe for help if a gangland war takes place. 'It's very possible that this could happen on this occasion although the Kinahans have been fairly decimated by the investigations of the Irish authorities and targeting those who were prepared to take up the gun on their behalf.' Last Saturday, Monaghan was watching the Champions League final with Eddie Lyons Jnr in his own bar in Fuengirola when the pair were shot in a horror gangland bloodbath. A masked gunman blasted Lyons Jnr dead outside the pub before turning his attention to Monaghan, who was shot several times as he tried to scramble for cover. Terrified customers and staff hid under tables and chairs and it's believed Monaghan may have had a £250,000 price tag in his head over a feud with a Spanish drugs cartel linked to the south of England. Spanish cops were able to ID executed Monaghan and Eddie Jnr as they 'knew them well'. Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay remembers watching Monaghan in court as he tried to dupe jurors into believing he was a 'smart, besuited and respectable young man'. The ex-crime reporter said: 'This was a complete fiction. He was a dangerous drug-dealing, gangland thug. 'It's usually the case in this world that foot soldiers end up in prison or dead. 'You would think the penny might drop that those ordering and directing the drugs and violence are often left counting the money. 'The Spanish authorities and Scottish counterparts should be asking themselves how on earth a drug-dealing thug and known member of a major international drugs gang appeared to have the ownership of a prominent business which quite literally had his name above the door? 'A guy like that should never have had the ability to put his name on assets for which the only source of their funding has been drugs."
Metro
2 hours ago
- Metro
Brit backpacker faces 20 years in jail for 'killing man in e-scooter crash'
A British backpacker faces up to 20 years in jail in Australia after being charged with killing a pedestrian in an e-scooter crash. Alicia Kemp, 24, is said to have spent six hours drinking before ploughing into the back of 51-year-old Thanh Phan on a footpath in Perth's central business district on May 3. Mr Phan died in hospital from brain injuries suffered in the collision. Kemp's passenger, a 26-year-old woman, suffered a fractured skull and broken nose when she was thrown from the scooter. Kemp was denied bail when she appeared in court in the city charged with dangerous driving occasioning bodily harm and dangerous driving occasioning death. Her application was refused after prosecutors told the magistrate the risk of her fleeing in the face of a 20-year maximum sentence was too great, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Mr Phan's family paid tribute to a 'beloved husband, father of two, brother, and dear friend'. They also called for a review of e-scooter hire regulations 'to help prevent further serious incidents that put lives at risk'. Kemp had been out drinking with a friend from 2.30pm on the day of the crash, the court heard. After her friend was asked to leave for being too drunk, they were said to have walked along Murray Street and hired an e-scooter just before 8.30pm. More Trending Kemp's 'inexplicably dangerous' riding was caught on CCTV, the prosecutor said, with other pedestrians having to get out of their way to avoid being hit. She was travelling at up to 25kph at the time of the collision, hitting Mr Phan while he was waiting to cross the road, the court heard. Kemp is next due in court on July 15. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 'TikTok addicted' mum who stole £300,000 from work to spend on tokens is jailed MORE: Body found in search for teenager who vanished after party four weeks ago MORE: 'Vigilantes' murdered innocent father they thought was a paedophile
Metro
5 hours ago
- Metro
Boy, 11, dies weeks after another child killed in M4 minibus crash
An 11-year-old boy has become the second child to die after a minibus overturned on a busy motorway. Othniel Adoma, from Bracknell, Berkshire, died on Thursday, more than three weeks after the single-vehicle crash. The white Ford Transit minibus overturned on the exit slip road at junction 10 of the M4 eastbound, near Wokingham, on Sunday, May 11. A six-year-old boy, who has not been named, also died in the collision. Five other children who were injured have now been discharged from the hospital. No arrests have been made following the smash, which involved only the minibus. The motorway was closed in both directions to allow more air ambulances to land at the scene. Detective Sergeant Lyndsey Blackaby said: 'My thoughts, and the thoughts of everyone at Thames Valley Police, are with the family and friends of Othniel Adoma. 'Othniel's family has released these beautiful pictures of Othniel in his memory. Othniel's family has asked that their privacy be respected at this difficult time.' More Trending South Central Ambulance Service said it was first alerted to the crash at 2.24 pm, with its first units arriving at the scene eight minutes later. Five critical care units, including two air ambulances, attended the incident along with six ambulances. One motorist said she saw the huge emergency scene just before the road was closed off as she drove past it. She claimed 'idiots were still driving down the inside lane they had closed so the emergency vehicles could get through – hope they all get tickets.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Two drivers die within hours of each other at Motorsport UK races MORE: Major change to car parks could make drivers' lives easier MORE: A major driving licence change is about to hit 50,000,000 people
