Man charged with manslaughter of ‘gentle giant’ Stephen Rimmer

A man has been charged with the manslaughter of a man who died more than two years ago following an alleged assault. Stephen Rimmer, 42, admitted himself to Royal Oldham Hospital on August 21, 2019, a week after he was reported to have been assaulted close to his home address on Culvert Street in Rochdale. The incident left Rimmer, who was described as a ‘gentle giant’ by his family, with serious facial injuries.

He later suffered a cardiac arrest, with medics placing him into an induced coma. Rimmer, a forklift truck driver, remained in the coma until he sadly died on March 7, 2020. READ MORE: Two investigations underway into death of one-day-old baby at Tameside General Hospital

Bradleigh Shepherd, 24, of John Street, Heywood has now been charged with manslaughter following an extensive investigation. He will appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ court on August 30, 2022.

Stephen Rimmer, 42, died in March 2020 after being attacked in August 2019 (Image: GMP)

Following his death, Rimmer’s family paid tribute in a statement: “Stephen was a caring son and brother, and a wonderful stepfather to Kimberley. He was also very popular with friends.

“Stephen was loving and kind, he touched the hearts of many. He was a gentle giant who lived his life to the full. His death has left us utterly devastated.”

A post-mortem examination concluded there had been links between Rimmer’s injuries and his death. Greater Manchester Police later launched a murder investigation. Read today’s top stories here.

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