Mark Manning: Son Kane fears he could meet Colin Gale

Kane Manning, who lives in Hove, has slammed the decision by the Department of Justice to move Colin Gale to an open prison.

His father Mark Manning, a bomb disposal expert who also bought and sold cars, was bludgeoned to death on April 19, 2014, by a friend over a debt.

Gale, of Worthing, killed Mr Manning at the P&B Sales garage in Western Road, Lancing.

READ MORE >> What happened to Mark Manning? 

Giving evidence Gale himself told the jury he used a one-metre industrial wrench to kill Mark in self-defence after he attacked him with an axe over a £17,000 debt for the sale of two vehicles.

He said Mark kept swinging the axe at him so he hit him two, probably three times with the wrench before he collapsed on the floor.

He did not mention an axe when he was interviewed or charged but later said in court that he had disposed of the axe by throwing it off Worthing Pier.

He was jailed for 15 years for manslaughter after a trial at Lewes Crown Court in March 2017.

In 2018, Gale appealed against the sentence. He appeared at the Royal Courts of Justice in London for the hearing and received a four-month reduction.

Colin Gale was found guilty of manslaughter and he admitted preventing a lawful burial.

Seven years after his father's death Kane told The Argus he believes Gale is still a danger to the community.

He said: "It makes me very angry. I'm not happy at all.

"The justice system is not right.

"He should be locked up. Throw the key away, that is what I want.

"I think he is dangerous to the community - he killed somebody.

"He shouldn't have open prison. In open prison, he can come out once a week.

"My concern is my wellbeing and if he bumps into me, that is my biggest concern.

"I would never want to see him again."

Kane Manning

Kane was just 16 when his father disappeared. He waited two years for his father’s body to be found before learning his best friend had killed him.

Unbeknown to Kane, Gale – who continued to pretend to be one of Mr Manning’s best friends – had killed his father, pretending to have dropped him off at the station to make it look like he had gone away.

For weeks Kane, then aged 16, lived with Gale in Offington Lane, Worthing, treating him like a father figure.

Now 23-years-old, he has been diagnosed with anxiety related to the trauma he experienced after his father's death.

He said: "I have never had anxiety before and I have been diagnosed with it.

"I can go out, I can go to work and I am mentally strong. But I spoke to my doctor and they said it is because of the trauma I went through.

"You know I knew that guy who killed my dad, they were business partners and I stayed with him because my dad trusted him.

"I went to court every day and heard a lot of information that I didn't want to hear. I had to go to trial every day - it is not nice."

A Prison Service spokesperson said: "Offenders in open prisons face strict conditions and can be returned to closed prison if they breach them.”