Man jailed for 13 years after Christmas Day Blackburn killing
James Ward convicted of manslaughter following deadly confrontation
Last updated 16 hours ago
A man has been jailed for 13 years for killing a man in Blackburn after a Christmas Day confrontation turned deadly.
The conviction stems from an incident in 2024 in Blackburn when James Ward was involved in an argument with Kirk Marsden.
It began at The Gate Street Bar and Grill, and escalated when Ward and his group left in a Toyota Landcruiser, using the vehicle to strike Kirk.
Kirk, aged 37, suffered severe internal injuries and tragically passed away on Boxing Day afternoon.
Ward handed himself in at Greenbank Police Station on 28th December. He answered no comment to all questions put to him in interview.
Following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, Ward, 27, now of no fixed address but formerly of New Wellington Street, Blackburn, was charged with Kirk’s killing.
Ward was unanimously found guilty of Kirk’s manslaughter following a two-week trial at Preston Crown Court last year.
Appearing at the same court today (6th March) Judge Graham Knowles KC also disqualified Ward from driving for 11 years and 11 months. He must also take an extended re-test.
In an impact statement to the court, Kirk’s mum Evelyn wrote: “I never imagined I would be standing here today, writing this. In just 14 months, I’ve lost both my husband and now my youngest, Kirk, who was tragically taken from us. The pain is beyond words. I’m broken. My heart is shattered.
“I still can’t come to terms with what happened. Since the day I got the phone call to say Kirk was gone, my world has fallen apart. It’s a living nightmare. I relive it every single day. I can’t sleep, I constantly shake, and I’ve become terrified to leave the house. I don’t answer the door anymore. When I do go out, I can’t stop shaking, and I’m never able to go out on my own. The trauma has completely taken over my life.
“What makes it harder is that it happened over Christmas, a time meant for family, joy and love. On Christmas Day, I got a call that something terrible had happened, and by Boxing Day, we had lost Kirk. Christmas will never be the same for our family. What should be a time of togetherness and happiness is now forever marked by heartbreak.
“Kirk was more than just my son, he was my baby boy, the youngest of my children. He used to call me every single day and would visit nearly every other day. The bond we had was unbreakable. I still find myself expecting him to knock on my door. The silence now is overwhelming.
“He was a devoted father. He lived for his children and loved them so deeply. My heart aches for my grandchildren, who will now grow up without their dad. Kirk had his whole life ahead of him, and it was taken far too soon.”
Kirk’s partner Leanne wrote in her statement: “Our whole lives have been destroyed, we are broken and struggling to cope with day to day living, we have lost our rock, our hero, all we have left are memories.”
She continued: “Christmas will never be the same again, we won’t be able to celebrate like we did; we will always have a constant reminder of how senseless it was in how Kirk was taken from us.”
DCI Bryony Midgley, of Lancashire Police's Force Major Investigation Team, said: “James Ward killed Kirk Marsden in a senseless act of violence that has no place on the streets of Lancashire.
“While no sentence can ever make up for a life that has been taken, I hope Kirk’s family take some solace knowing that the man responsible for the death of their loved one is being held accountable for his actions through this significant sentence.”