Sophie Lancaster

Today it's Sophie Lancaster's birthday. The Murder of Sophie Lancaster was a murder case in the United Kingdom in 2007. The victim was brutally attacked along with her boyfriend, Robert Maltby, while walking through Stubbylee Park in Bacup, Rossendale in Lancashire. As a result of her severe head injuries she went into a coma, never regained consciousness, and later died. The police said the attack may have been provoked by the couple wearing gothic fashion and being members of the goth subculture.

While returning home, Lancaster and Maltby were subjected to a "vicious mob attack" from "a large group of people" between 01:10 hours and 01:20 hours on Saturday, 11 August 2007, at the skate park area of Stubbylee Park, Bacup. The couple were walking home and came across a group of teenagers at the entrance to the park. The group followed them, but there was no trouble until some of them suddenly assaulted Robert Maltby without provocation. When he was knocked unconscious the gang attacked Sophie Lancaster, who was trying to protect him by cradling him in her arms. A 15-year-old witness told police: "They were running over and just kicking her in the head and jumping up and down on her head." One distraught witness used a mobile to call for emergency services saying: "We need... we need an ambulance at Bacup Park, this mosher has just been banged because he’s a mosher." Witnesses revealed that afterwards: "The killers celebrated their attack on the goths — or "moshers" - by telling friends afterwards that they had, "done summat [something] good," and claiming: "There's two moshers nearly dead up Bacup park — you wanna see them — they're a right mess." The injured couple were assisted by some of the teenagers who called emergency services, and then stayed with the couple and tried to tend their wounds. At the trial they were commended by the judge.

Police said soon afterwards it was, "a sustained attack during the course of which the pair received serious head injuries and their faces were so swollen we could not ascertain which one was female and which one was male." Both were hospitalised as a result of the attack, initially at Rochdale Infirmary. Maltby's injuries left him in a coma with bleeding on the brain, but he gradually recovered over the next two weeks. Lancaster, in a deep coma, was moved to Fairfield Hospital in Bury, then to the Neurology unit at Hope Hospital in Salford. It became clear to hospital staff she would not recover from her injuries, and on 24 August 2007 her family agreed to switch off life support and she died. (From Wikipedia).

Take your time and watch the video 'Dark Angel' on the website of The Sophie Lancaster Foundation http://www.sophielancasterfoundation.com/. In tribute to Sophie, Illamasqua has commissioned ‘Dark Angel’ – a short film by award-winning French director, Fursy Teyssier. that’s a haunting rendition of Sophie’s story, featuring the music of iconic British band, Portishead.The aim of the film is to raise awareness of The Sophie Lancaster Foundation and generate £500,000 to help educate young people about tolerance. Since Sophie’s death, the Foundation has been working with behavioural experts Huthwaite International, to put together an interactive youth workshop that does just that.

The Sophie Lancaster Foundation on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/SophieFoundation

The Sophie Lancaster Foundation on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Sophie-Lancast%20er-Foundation/110116053870?ref=search&sid=646416426.2991036845..1&v=wall