CURLED up on the sofa watching a murder documentary, Demi-Leigh Sykes wiped away a tear as the victim’s grieving family spoke of their devastation.
In a sickening twist, just hours later the mum, 28, would understand that turmoil first-hand after discovering her fiancé, Vincent McDonagh, had been beaten and left to die on the street.
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The 45-year-old was killed by his neighbour Lee Burns, 38, who he had lent £20 that night and taken to the pub before they got into an argument while walking home.
After refusing to allow Burns to use his phone, he was captured on CCTV footage punching Vinnie in the head, kicking him and then stamping on him as he lay unconscious.
Burns, of Oldham, Manchester, was jailed for 21 years at Manchester Crown Court, in May, but Demi says her family will never recover.
She revealed their four-year-old son Frankie looks under each bed in their home every night in a heartbreaking attempt to find his missing father and even sleeps in his dressing gown.
Talking to The Sun, Demi says: “Burns did not take one life, he took three.
“My son and I will never get over losing Vinnie. He had lent Burns £20 the night he was murdered. That kindness was typical of Vinnie, yet Burns murdered him for it.
“My only comfort is that Vinnie lives on through his son. Frankie is his father’s double in every way, and I am reminded every time I look at him of the wonderful dad and partner we have lost.”
Loving dad Vinnie had been staying at his nearby flat to get some DIY done, when his life was tragically cut short in November 2023.
Demi, who expected her fiancé home that evening, had stayed up late in the hope of seeing him and recalled watching the Channel 5 show Killer at the Crime Scene.
Less than 24 hours later, she would be plunged into a scenario similar to those seen on the show, which follows specialist forensic teams attempting to solve grisly murders.
Recalling the day before the murder, Demi told us: “I spoke to him in the afternoon and he said he had backpain.
“He’d damaged his back years earlier and it troubled him sometimes. I tried him again so Frankie could say goodnight and he didn’t reply.
“I was expecting him back later that night. I was a bit annoyed that he hadn’t replied.
“That night, I watched a documentary about a murder and I remember thinking how awful that would be, and feeling sorry for the family.”
Early the next morning, two police officers came to tell Demi that Vinnie was dead.
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She says: “I was shell-shocked. I didn’t know any details. One of his neighbours told me that he had been murdered by another neighbour, Lee Burns. I’d never even heard of him.
“I found out the details of Vinnie’s death from a complete stranger. I was absolutely stunned.
“In the days afterwards there were videos online showing Vinnie’s murder. I could not believe people could be so cruel and heartless.”
‘Sick with grief’
Demi had to go through the heartbreak of identifying Vinnie’s body and, instead of planning their wedding, she instead found herself planning a funeral.
She says: “Frankie just didn’t understand his dad wasn’t coming back. He kept shouting his name and looking under all the beds. He slept with his Dad’s dressing gown, every night.
“My grief literally made me ill. I couldn’t eat and I lost six stones in weight. I felt like a part of me had died with Vinnie.”
Vicious Lee Burns, 38, had a violent history and was previously jailed for 10 years over attacks on two elderly women in Oldham.
You left him dead or close to dying on the street and went home without a thought for him.
Judge Alan Conrad KC
When he appeared at Manchester Crown Court in May 2024, the killer denied murdering Vinnie – despite overwhelming evidence against him and leading to a trial that further traumatised the family.
The court heard that Vinnie had lent Burns £20 and they had gone to the pub. On their way home, the two men disagreed after Vinnie asked if he could use Burns’ phone to make a call.
Vinnie asked Burns to leave him alone, but he launched a brutal attack, picked up on CCTV, punching Vinnie to the head and then kicking and stamping on him as he lay unconscious on the ground.
He then walked away and left him to die. Burns confessed to a neighbour that he had killed Vinnie but later claimed he had acted in self-defence.
Crime hotspot
Last year Oldham was highlighted as one of the UK’s crime hotspots in a landmark report advising the Government on its levelling-up strategy.
A 2022 report estimated there were 176 organised crime groups (OCGs) operating across Greater Manchester, with almost a quarter of the gangs identified said to have access to guns. Drugs are said to remain the ‘primary crime type’ for the vast majority of the gangs.
Of the 176, 55 active organised crime groups are said to be ‘impacting the city of Manchester’ – accounting for 31 per cent of all known OCGs in the county.
Oldham and Salford have the second highest number of organised crime groups, with 19 and 18 respectively.
The sprawling reach of these criminal networks was illustrated in a crackdown late last year, which saw a Manchester gang jailed over a multi-million pound drugs ring supplying the entire North West.
Burns was found guilty of murder and jailed for life, to serve a minimum 20 years and 164 days.
Judge Alan Conrad KC told Burns: “You took offence on the walk home over something concerning your mobile phone. Vincent had done nothing to warrant your behaviour towards him…
“Vincent simply wanted you to leave him alone, it could not have been plainer.
“You left him dead or close to dying on the street and went home without a thought for him. He didn’t want trouble with you on the night.”
My grief literally made me ill. I couldn’t eat and I lost six stones in weight. I felt like a part of me had died with Vinnie.
Demi-Leigh Sykes
The judge added: “You are a devious and manipulative man who starred in the case of overwhelming evidence to state a bogus defence.”
‘Can’t carry on’
Demi says it’s her young son Frankie and the memories of her six-year romance with Vinnie that has kept her going through her most difficult days.
She met her future fiancé on a night out in Oldham in 2017 and says they “clicked instantly”.
Demi adds: “We were never apart from that first night. Vinnie was really funny, gentle and kind too.
“Five weeks after we met, I woke up with an engagement ring on my finger. Ours was a real whirlwind romance.
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“He was an amazing cook; he had a speciality curry. We liked nights in and we enjoyed long walks over the moors too.
“He slotted into my family perfectly. My nan, Sandra, was in poor health and he looked after her. He took her for hospital appointments and pushed her wheelchair.”
Early in 2019, Demi fell pregnant, which was “a big surprise” for them but they “were so pleased” by the news.
Vinnie continued to prove himself to be a loving and caring partner during difficult times when she was pregnant.
There are days when I feel like I just can’t carry on, but Frankie keeps me going. He is my little miracle
Demi-Leigh Sykes
She says: “I had a really difficult pregnancy, I was in and out of hospital with hyperemesis, I picked up an infection too, and the doctors were worried I might even go into early labour.
“Vinnie was brilliant. He was so supportive, the nurses let him stay overnight with me.”
Their son, Frankie, was born in October 2019, perfectly healthy.
Demi says: “Vinnie was a great dad, he was hands on and he adored his son. Frankie has my eyes, but he looked like Vinnie in every other way.”
The year that her fiancé’s life was cruelly snatched away, the couple had been busy making plans for their future.
They had been looking for a new place to live and were organising their wedding to coincide with their seven-year anniversary in July 2024.
Demi admits the heartache of losing Vinnie has often left her feeling like she “can’t carry on” and seeing Burns sentenced to 20 years hasn’t eased her pain.
She says: “No sentence could ever be enough because it will never bring Vinnie back.
“My little boy must grow up without the father he adored, and who adored him. We loved him so much.
“There are days when I feel like I just can’t carry on, but Frankie keeps me going. He is my little miracle.”
