Paul Heap

Paul Heap was stabbed in a newsagents in Yorkshire Street, Rochdale as he was robbing it.

The newsagent was charged with his murder, but the charges against him were later dropped. He had also been charged with the attempted murder of another man that had been with Paul Heap during the attempted robbery.

He had stabbed Paul Heap and another man with a flick-knife that he said he had kept behind his counter to open letters.

It was said that Paul Heap and another man had gone into the newsagents and demanded money and then started to beat the newsagent up. It was said then that the newsagent grabbed the flick knife which he kept behind the counter and stabbed both of the men.

Paul Heap then collapsed outside the shop and died. His friend was also seriously injured.

It was heard that the decision to prosecute the newsagent had angered local people and that protesters had set up a petition that had received over 7,600 signatures in two days objecting to it.

The newsagent had run his business for over 30 years.

After the charges against the newsagent were dropped he said, 'I feel great. It's been quite an ordeal for me but I'm glad it's all over. I had heard rumours they might drop the charges but I didn't want to build my hopes up. I really expected to have to go to court next week. Now that I've learnt it's true I feel on top of the world'.

The newsagent died of a heart attack later that year.