Call to shut alleyway after Shane Watson's killing

Calls have been made to shut an alleyway in Sedgley where a man was killed close to his home following a night out. He suffered serious head injuries and died in hospital.

Hundreds of people have signed a petition after Shane Watson, aged 23, died after being found in the passageway in the early hours of Saturday morning.

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The former Dormston School pupil had earlier been out at Sedgley's Ex-Servicemen's Club and Monty's Wine Bar, in High Street. He was discovered in the alleyway at about 3.20am on Saturday.

He had suffered serious head injuries in an incident in Springfield Grove, near to Beacon Rise and Greenway. He was taken to hospital but died soon afterwards.

Friends and family of Mr Watson yesterday gathered near to the alleyway to leave floral tributes and to appeal for signatures for the petition, which by the evening had more than 300 names added to it.

His cousin Scott Maher-Butler, who was with him on the night he died, said: "Losing Shane is tragic, but this is one thing we want done good out of it.

"The alleyway always attracts trouble. There are people taking drugs down there," he claimed.

"In the evening it's dark and covered and provides an easy place to hide.

"We want the alleyway shut for good."

Brendan Rose, 36, of Beacon Rise, lives next to the passageway.

He said: "I must have called the police 40 to 50 times about the alleyway – there is always trouble in the evenings.

"The council need to listen to the community here and shut it for good."

Mr Watson's ex-girlfriend Sophie Ball, 17, of Wolverhampton Road, said she had been attacked just over a year ago down the passageway.

She said: "I was punched in the face during the middle of the day walking through there.

"It's dangerous and should be shut, there are plenty of other ways to get round it and walk through the estate."

As well as distributing copies of the petition to passers-by at the alleyway, friends and family were also knocking on the doors of residents who live near to the scene of the tragedy.

Detectives were yesterday speaking to the close family of Mr Watson, who are still too upset to talk about his death publicly.

A tree outside the alleyway is surrounded by flowers with pictures and cigarettes pinned to the bark.

A Facebook tribute page to Mr Watson has more than 1,300 messages posted on it.

Two teenagers appeared in court yesterday charged with the murder of Mr Watson.