One of the men accused of killing a 34-year-old dad from Failsworth and dumping his body in a park has admitted cutting up his body.

Aaron Evitt, 33, of Brentnor Road, Manchester, and Gerrard McGlacken, 45, of Kintore Walk, Manchester both deny murder but have pleaded guilty to the prevention of a lawful burial.

The trial began at Manchester Crown Court last week with Prosecutor Michael Brady QC alleging Ashley was killed just after midnight on Friday, January 7 at McGlacken’s flat on Kintore Walk in Collyhurst.

Today (July 11) McGlacken, taking to the stand, admitted to the court that he “cut up” Ashley’s body which was found in Sandhills Park in Collyhurst in four suitcases.

McGlacken initially denied that he'd had anything to do with Ashley’s death or the disposing of his body. He also never told police that he had seen Ashley being stabbed.

The court today heard that pathologist Dr Charles Wilson found Ashley had 20 stab wounds, many of which were from when he was still alive, and that six to the chest area were potentially fatal.

McGlacken previously told police he “could not explain” a bloody footprint found on a pink cloth in his flat and blood found on his bath could have been from when he cut his finger.

He also told police blood found on a carrier bag in his bathroom may have been from a bloody tissue he used for his finger, and blood from inside the door frame of his flat’s front door may have been when he was attacked in July 2020.

Today, he admitted to the court that he had lied to police.

Speaking about the night of January 8, he said Evitt and Ashley “were arguing”, that there was “pushing and shoving” and then Ashley tried to leave saying “Just let me go. Let me go.”

“Evitt wouldn’t let him go he wanted answers”, McGlacken told the court.

He claimed he later learned they were arguing because Ashley had allegedly slept with Evitt’s ex-partner and the mother of his children.

McGlacken said he tried to “step in between them” and told them to “calm down”.

He then added: “I saw Aaron strike Ashley with a hammer on his head more than once” and said Ashley was “putting his arms up” to defend himself.

McGlacken continued: “The last thing I recall is Ash lying on the floor.

“He ended up getting knocked out on the floor.

"He wasn’t moving he could have been fast asleep. I checked his pulse on his wrist, neck, and chest to check his heartbeat. There was no pulse or anything I thought he was dead.”

McGlacken then told the court that Evitt made a video call to someone called Stephanie.

He allegedly showed Stephanie Ashley’s body and she said it was a “mannequin” at which point Evitt stabbed Ashley “in the chest” because according to McGlacken he “thought he was already dead”.

McGlacken went on to tell the court he cut up Ashley's body and said it was to “dispose” of the body to "protect" Evitt and that he used samurai swords, kitchen knives and an electric saw.

He later admitted putting the body parts in suitcases and dumping them with Evitt.

McGlacken denied that he struck Ashley or stabbed him.

The trial continues this week.