Suspect found in takeaway murder of Halton McCollin that's been unsolved for a decade

Police have identified a "prime suspect" in the shooting of a 20-year-old call centre worker who was shot dead in a Manchester takeaway a decade ago.

Halton McCollin was ordering food in a Chinese takeaway when he was shot in the back of the head just before 9pm on Saturday 19 January 2008.

In a crime police are treating as due to a case of mistaken identity, McCollin was shot in the China Garden takeaway on Chester Road in Trafford and died three days later.

Now as the 10-year anniversary of his shooting approaches, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) say they have identified a suspect who may have fired the gun that killed McCollin.

Three men were arrested after the killing, but all were released without charge and the Manchester Evening News (MEN) reported that police now know the gun had been used before.

The .357 Magnum revolver, that was fired three times, had been used in seven other shootings, including a murder and two attempted murders.

McCollin visited the takeaway after he finished his shift working at a Norwich Union call centre and was speaking to two friends, who may have been informed that a shooting was about to take place.

His two friends jumped over the counter and fled before a gunman fired three shots and McCollin was shot in the back of the head.

The murder weapon was later found when officers searched a house on Parrs Wood Road in May 2008 as part of an unconnected investigation. Police believe that three men were sat in a stolen blue Vauxhall Vectra with number plates also stolen from another vehicle before the shooting.

The force has said that the trio were seen walking down an alley at the side of the Gorse Hill pub after parking the car.

Two men then walked towards the takeaway where a gunman opened fire before the pair fled back to the car in the pub car park. The car was later found burned.

Martin Bottomley, head of GMP's Cold Case Review Team, said to MEN: "There is someone out there who knows who the killers are. We need that someone brave enough to stand up.

"Halton was just 20-years-old when he was killed. He had his whole future ahead of him, but his life was tragically taken away from him in the cruellest of circumstances.

"For Halton's family and friends, life will never be the same again. Ten years may have passed but things do not get any easier for Halton's loved ones as they try and endure a life without the man they miss so much."

Bottomley added: "Meanwhile, Halton's killer has been able to continue with his life and today I am appealing to anybody who knows anything to do the right thing and call us."