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Posted By: jonno40 Gary Finlay arrest - 25th Feb 2009 12:13pm
BREAKING NEWS: Arrest made in McKenna killing
11:33am Wednesday 25th February 2009

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By Justin Dunn »

Gary Finlay has been arrested on suspicion of murdering Graham McKenna and the attempted murder of his son, 14-year-old Michael.

Police said the 46-year-old, who has been wanted for questioning by officers investigating the double stabbing, was arrested in Birkenhead.

Mr McKenna, who was 45, died of his injuries on Saturday, January 10, as he was walking with his son to a bus stop in Claughton.

His funeral service is due to take place on Monday, at noon, at Our Lady's Church, Cavendish Street, Birkenhead, followed by burial at Frankby cemetery at 2pm.

More later...
Posted By: Wheels Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 25th Feb 2009 12:16pm
About time.

I wonder were he has been?
Posted By: StuyMac Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 25th Feb 2009 12:16pm
Originally Posted by jonno40


Police said the 46-year-old, who has been wanted for questioning by officers investigating the double stabbing, was arrested in Birkenhead.



So much for him fleeing the area... think
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 25th Feb 2009 12:18pm
well thats good news init THANKS JONNO happy



THE WIRRAL GLOBE
Posted By: karenc1 Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 25th Feb 2009 12:49pm
it is the best news we have had in 7 weeks!!!! this is grahams family in the southwest......justice will be done for our grahamxxxx
Posted By: Tony_1985 Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 25th Feb 2009 1:23pm
excellent news and about time. hope he gets what he deserves
Posted By: uggla Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 25th Feb 2009 2:02pm
glad they got this scumbag
Posted By: Wench Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 25th Feb 2009 4:12pm
Great news!! He won't last 2 minutes in prison if there is any justice! I wouldn't like to be working for his defence team!!
Posted By: UrbanEx2U Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 25th Feb 2009 5:40pm
thats very good

ABOUT TIME smile I,M HAPPIER NOW smile
Posted By: _Ste_ Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 25th Feb 2009 5:43pm
clap
Posted By: biscansplums Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 25th Feb 2009 6:21pm
Great news that. Lets hope he gets the punishment he deserves.
Posted By: pacef8 Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 25th Feb 2009 8:04pm
I understand he gave himself in at birkenhead hamilton square at lunchtime today.
Posted By: Anonymous Gary Finlay arrest - 26th Feb 2009 3:04pm
Murder suspect's sister describes how he turned up on her doorstep


THE sister of wanted murder suspect Gary Finlay today described her shock after her brother turned up on her doorstep.

After a six-week manhunt, the 46-year-old arrived at Julie Finlay’s house at 5.30am yesterday.

He said he had “had enough” and wanted to hand himself in to police.

He said throughout the search, he was sleeping rough in Liverpool after taking a ferry from Wirral.

Finlay, of Birkenhead, was wanted for questioning over the January 10 murder of former soldier Graham McKenna, 45, in Upton Road, Claughton, and the attempted murder of Mr McKenna’s 14-year-old son Michael.

The pair were ambushed by a man carrying a knife 250 yards from their home as they walked to a bus stop on their way to an Everton match.

The attack sparked a national manhunt, with the search spreading as far as Cornwall.

Ms Finlay, 48, a part-time hairdresser, said: “He looked awful, very thin with a grey beard and a grey Oxfam coat. He had a bag with a few things in it.

“He said: ‘I have come to hand myself in, will you come with me?’

“I said ‘yes’, but I could not go on my own with him because I was in shock so we went to my sister’s to take him.

“He had a cup of coffee and a cigarette and we went to Birkenhead police station.

“In the car, he said he had been living rough in Liverpool and only came back to Wirral this week.

“Gary said early on, he thought he was going to die because of the cold weather and he had just £7 left.

“He said he used shops without any trouble.

“We rang the bell at the police station and the officer said we had to wait for someone to come down.

“Gary told the officer he wanted to hand himself in and the officer said ‘who are you?’

“He went in and two other policemen came out of a side door to take him away.

“I was crying and was told to wait because we would be interviewed.”

Officers took the sisters’ phones and retained them last night.

Brother Paul Finlay, 55, said: “I hope I can see him and at least try to support him – he is still family. We have had a lot of worries and it has been hard on our mum. We thought he was gone a long time.

“I do not know what he was thinking. He must have decided he could not run and hide any more.

“It is odd to think all this time he was here. Someone said to me ‘I see they got Gary’, but that is not true - he handed himself in.”

Gary Finlay was arrested yesterday at around 11am and was facing a second day of questioning today.

THE ECHO
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 27th Feb 2009 3:23am
BREAKING NEWS:Gary Finlay charged with murder of Graham McKenna

A MAN has been charged with the murder of Wirral dad Graham McKenna and the attempted murder of his 14 year-old son.

Gary Finlay, 46, of Alexanda Road, Birkenhead was charged by detectives last night after being arrested yesterday.

Former soldier Mr McKenna, 45, was stabbed to death in Upton Road, Claughton, on January 10, as he went to catch the Soccer Bus to watch Everton take on Hull City.

Mr McKenna's son, Michael was also stabbed, but survived.

Finlay is due to appear before Wirral magistrates court today.


the wirral news
Posted By: jonno40 Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 27th Feb 2009 7:32am
Hang the ...
Posted By: _Ste_ Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 27th Feb 2009 9:50am
Quote
Gary told the officer he wanted to hand himself in and the officer said ‘who are you?’


What? Pull the other one! laugh
Posted By: jonno40 Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 27th Feb 2009 10:23am
I personaly dont beleve a word of what the sister says.Liverpool has more CCTV than most places in the country plus they also have facial recognition so the odds are he would of been spotted if he was wandering around plus his photo has been published nationwide and even with a beard you could not forget that face.I hope the scumbag gets what he deserves and more, he has destroyed the lives of so many people
Posted By: _Ste_ Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 27th Feb 2009 10:31am
yes, also i hear a bit of `oh oh feel sorry for me` crap going on!

Screw your family, what about the poor mekenas?

Bring back public decapitation or hangings i say! I`d gladly enjoy being the executioner mad
Posted By: Sanchez Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 27th Feb 2009 10:33am
Originally Posted by jonno40
I personaly dont beleve a word of what the sister says.Liverpool has more CCTV than most places in the country plus they also have facial recognition so the odds are he would of been spotted if he was wandering around plus his photo has been published nationwide and even with a beard you could not forget that face.I hope the scumbag gets what he deserves and more, he has destroyed the lives of so many people


If a copper didnt recognise him, what chance does a camera stand?
Posted By: StuyMac Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 27th Feb 2009 12:21pm
Originally Posted by _jase_

“Gary said early on, he thought he was going to die because of the cold weather and he had just £7 left.


Dont think he will have any accomodation worries anymore.... think
Posted By: karenc1 Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 27th Feb 2009 4:31pm
well said jonno40 & ste, i couldnt agree more , the whole story stinks of something !!! well lets hope he does get his comeuppence now, thanks for all ur support through out this nightmare. from grahams family southwest..r i p graham xxx
Posted By: MissGuided Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 27th Feb 2009 4:40pm
I know I'll probably get flamed for saying this but I do feel a bit sorry for Finlay's family (I don't mean 'aaarr poor them' exactly). They have to live the rest of their lives with his mistake. This man's selfish actions has tainted his whole family.

That's a bit sh*t in my book.
Posted By: karenc1 Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 27th Feb 2009 4:51pm
you will get flamed miss guided ..you say they have to live their lives with what the scumbag has done.WHAT ABOUT THE LIFE GRAHAM COULD HAVE HAD AND THE LIVES OF HIS FAMILY...ME INCLUDED!!99.9% OF THE PEOPLE ON THIS SITE ARE ALL FOR GRAHAMS FAMILY SO IF YOU HAVE NOTHING TO SAY TO THEM DONT SAY ANYTHING AT ALL! KAZ
Posted By: MissGuided Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 27th Feb 2009 4:55pm
I expected that and that's fine. I think the situation for all is pretty horrendous - as you say - a life stolen away - its evil. I wasn't taking a side, just making an observation.
Posted By: karenc1 Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 27th Feb 2009 4:59pm
OK no offence taken but you must understand how we are all feeling at the moment....
Posted By: MissGuided Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 27th Feb 2009 5:02pm
I cannot truly begin to understand how you feel kaz, as this has not happened to me. I imagine all your emtions are very raw and every little thing in the world reminds you of him. I did recently suffer a loss, though in a very different situation, so I can understand how painful it is to grieve. In my case it was a life that never even began.
Posted By: Beemertastic Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 27th Feb 2009 5:03pm
hmm..not wanting to cause further upset but forgive me if im wrong...wasnt Gary the brother in law of Graham at some point...and therefore i think Missguided point is valid...it affects the entire family...blood family..or family related by marriage
Posted By: kimpri Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 27th Feb 2009 5:21pm
The police are on bidston hill just under green bridge looking in undergrowth been there for a while...
Posted By: MissGuided Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 27th Feb 2009 5:24pm
the murder weapon maybe
Posted By: kimpri Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 27th Feb 2009 5:35pm
Got to be had rakes. Don'T know how many police in there big yellow van one car parked up.. Had my lad so i didn't hang round to long...
Posted By: Wench Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 27th Feb 2009 5:40pm
In a completely different case, I have a friend whose son committed a rather nasty crime and is currently serving a lengthy sentence for it. My friends' family have suffered greatly through his act, to the point where they had to move because of something they did not do. His brother has been severely bullied at school and he has been tarred with the same brush.

I can see both sides of the coin. It does not mean that I am defending what he did, I find it an absolute heinous crime, as I am sure the majority of Mr Finlay's family do, just that I can see how both sides are affected.

Posted By: Riki_Wirral Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 27th Feb 2009 6:26pm
Yeah it's a really horrible situation for everyone related on either side. Lets hope these new events help move things forward for everyone.
Posted By: AR_One Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 27th Feb 2009 11:39pm
Originally Posted by kimpri1
The police are on bidston hill just under green bridge looking in undergrowth been there for a while...


Those Police might of been there for something differant but there was a RTA a bit further down Vyner Road South between 4 and 5 thing evening with a car smashed into the fence so they may of been there in connection with that rather than Finlay?
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 28th Feb 2009 12:47am
MAN APPEARS IN COURT



A MAN has appeared in court charged with the murder of former soldier Graham McKenna and the attempted murder of his 14-year-old son, Michael.

Gary Carl Finlay, 46, of Alexandra Road, Birkenhead, appeared before Wirral Magistrates.

Dressed in jeans and a blue polo shirt with a white trim, and wearing a pair of glasses, Finlay spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth.

Mr McKenna died on January 10 after he and his son were attacked on their way to catch a bus to watch an Everton football match.

Finlay was remanded into custody to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on March 19.

There was no application for bail.



WIRRAL GLOBE
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Gary Finlay arrest - 19th Mar 2009 4:32pm
[Linked Image]

Finlay in court on McKenna murder charge



A WIRRAL man accused of murdering father-of-two Graham McKenna appeared for the first time at Liverpool Crown Court today.

Gary Finlay, 46, is alleged to have killed Mr McKenna, a TA soldier, and attempted to murder his teenage son Michael.

Mr McKenna, 45, who served with the Cheshire Regiment for 22 years before joining the local Territorial Army, was stabbed to death as he walked to catch a bus to Goodison Park with his 14-year-old son to watch an Everton game.

He was knifed on Foxglove Road and staggered around the corner before collapsing in Speedwell Road. He died in Arrowe Park Hospital following the attack on January 10.

His son, a pupil at Ridgeway School, Prenton, was stabbed nine times, but survived. Mr McKenna was laid to rest after a full military funeral on March 2.

Finlay, of Alexandra Road, Birkenhead, appeared via video-link from Walton Prison before Judge John Roberts. He spoke only to confirm his name and that he understood proceedings.

Judge John Roberts remanded him in custody until June 15 when he is due to enter his pleas. A provisional trial date was fixed for October 5.




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