PC Gareth Francis died following attack as he walked home from night out - Daily Mail

• PC Gareth Francis died following attack as he walked home from night out
• The 28-year-old was found by emergency services with a serious head injury
• Two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder
  

By Nazia Parveen

PUBLISHED: 10:02 EST, 20 January 2013 | UPDATED: 22:45 EST, 20 January 2013

A murder inquiry has been launched after off-duty police officer PC Gareth Francis died following an assault in Edgeley, Manchester

An off-duty police officer has been killed after being punched in the head as he tried to break up a fight.

PC Gareth Francis, 28, was on his way home after celebrating his birthday with friends in Manchester when he was attacked by a group of men in the early hours of yesterday.

He had been dropped off with his friends in Edgeley, Stockport, by a taxi moments after a group of 'drunken and rowdy' men were thrown out of a nearby pub.

The two groups crossed paths and, after a row between one of PC Francis's friends and a man from the other group, a fight broke out.

Witnesses said PC Francis appeared to try to calm the situation by standing in the middle of the two groups when he was punched in the head and immediately fell to the ground.

Emergency services arrived within minutes and discovered PC Francis with a serious head injury.

He was taken to hospital in an ambulance and died later the same day.

Yesterday the area where PC Francis, from Stockport, fell was cordoned off.
Local Joe Taylor said: 'It is absolutely pathetic and disgusting. These men had been chucked out of the pub because they were causing trouble and arguing with everyone.

'The next thing we knew there was loads of noise in the street and we saw them grappling with each other and then we heard people screaming that this poor young man was on the floor. We heard that he had come in between them and one of the lads punched him in the head and he fell almost immediately. It's terrible.'

Scroll down for footage from the scene

The scene in Edgeley, Stockport, after off-duty police officer Gareth Francis was murdered in the early hours of today

Two men, aged 20 and 21, both from the Stockport area, have been arrested on suspicion of murder

Detectives said the motive for the attack is still being investigated but confirmed that they were not treating it as a robbery and do not believe a weapon was used.

Two men, aged 20 and 21, both from the Stockport area, were arrested on suspicion of murder and remain in custody for questioning.

Yesterday colleagues paid tribute to a 'dedicated officer' who had served in the police force for six years.

A post-mortem examination was due to take place yesterday afternoon to establish the cause of death.

VIDEO  Murder probe launch after off-duty police officer dies after street attack 

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