By Chris Williamson-
A Brit brutally shot dead outside football pitch in popular Spanish holiday resort
A coroner has ruled Steven Gray was unlawfully killed
A British man was ‘brutally’ shot dead outside a football pitch in southern Spain. Two guns were later found in a burnt-out car, said to have been used by those who killed 32 year-old Steven Gray, from Merseyside, on Easter Monday (April 21), earlier this year.
AD: Capeesh Restaurant
Mr Gray, originally from Bootle, had been living in Malaga for around a year before his death in the popular holiday resort of Calahonda, on the Costa del Sol. He was fatally shot near the dis Finca Naundrup sports complex. He was leaving after playing football with friends when he was ‘cowardly’ shot from behind, his family said.
Mr Gray’s mum Lynn told the the Liverpool Echo: “Steven was walking to his car after playing a football match with his friends. As he got to his car, with his back to them, [the] cowards brutally shot him from behind
“Steven didn’t see it coming and died instantly at the scene. This cruel, cowardly act has left Steven’s family and friends devastated. My son will rest easy knowing how loved he’ll always be.”
AD: Oysterian Sea Food Restaurant And Bar
Woman killed on country road named as Green Party stalwart who ran to be Greater Manchester MP
He took on work he wasn’t qualified to do, then got his dad to sign it off
“[Steven] went to Spain to get away from gang culture. He had no involvement in gang culture. Steven is from a family who care for him and always have and always will love him very much,” she added.
A coroner has now ruled he was unlawfully killed. An inquest at Bootle Town Hall heard today (Tuesday, December, 23): “A witness said at around 7.45pm they saw two people get out of a car and heard shots.
“Death was established between 8pm and 8.30pm. The car used by the shooters had been found burnt-out with two burnt firearms inside. Steven had been walking to his car [when he was shot]. He was found next to his car on the floor.”
The inquest heard Mr Gray was a huge Everton fan and talented midfielder. His family told the proceedings that he had been picked up by the Everton academy when he was four and played at a high level until he broke his leg. Ms Gray said her son’s ‘secret idol’ was Steven Gerrard and his style of play was likened to the former Reds captain.
‘There is no lawful reason to shoot Steven’
His mum told the inquest: “When the death is so violent people do judge and make assumptions. They judge the family as well.” Senior Coroner Anita Bhardwaj told Mr Gray’s family: “We are not here to judge anybody.”
A post-mortem was carried out in Spain and Mr Gray’s cause of death was listed as severe haemorrhaging caused by gunshot wounds to his thorax and abdomen.
The inquest was told that repeated efforts had been made by both the coroners’ office and Mr Gray’s family to find out more about his death from the Spanish authorities. Ms Bhardwaj said: “What we have is extremely limited because they’re not providing us with any information. From all the information known to us there is no lawful reason to shoot Steven, so I find Steven died as a result of unlawful killing.”
Passing on her condolences to Mr Gray’s mum, Ms Bhardwaj added: “I know we are all conditioned to lose our parents, but we are not conditioned to lose a child before us.
AD: Heritage And Restaurant Lounge Bar