Violence-obsessed attacker nicknamed 'The Madman' who killed pubgoer with one ... trends now
A violence-obsessed attacker who was nicknamed 'The Madman' has said he wants to meet with the family of the man he killed with one punch to apologise after 'turning his life around' in prison.
Brett Gleeson, 40, killed Adam Nightingale, 28, following a row over a spilt drink at the Mucky Duck pub in Rochdale on March 25, 2015.
The career criminal, who had 41 convictions including a robbery where he stole £2 from a man at knifepoint, was sentenced to four years in jail and five years in a psychiatric ward for manslaughter.
On the night of the incident, Gleeson ignored his girlfriend's plea to calm down and followed Mr Nightingale out of the pub following the row.
The machete and gun-obsessed thug punched him hard in the head from behind as he spoke to a taxi driver, causing Mr Nightingale to fall and hit his head on a stationary car.
Gun-obsessed thug Brett Gleeson (pictured), 40, has said he wants to meet with the family of the man he killed with one punch to apologise
He killed Adam Nightingale (pictured), 28, following a row over a spilt drink at the Mucky Duck pub in Rochdale on March 25, 2015
The career criminal, who had 41 convictions including a robbery where he stole £2 from a man at knifepoint, was sentenced to four years in jail and five years in a psychiatric ward for manslaughter
Mr Nightingale, who worked for an engineering firm, was left on the pavement, before eventually dying in hospital a few hours later.
But now father-of-one Gleeson has converted to Islam and said he wants to fully 'repent' for the killing that he committed due to his own 'bravado'.
He wants to meet his victim's family to offer his apologies and said he would 'do anything he could' to help them.
Gleeson said: 'I am devastated by what happened and feel bad every day.
'I felt like I was in the depths of hell, it really broke my heart, now I want to try and give something back to the world.'
After the attack, Gleeson, who was 30 at the time, fled the area, but was arrested at his flat at around 3am.
The machete-obsessed offender punched Mr Nightingale hard in the head from behind as he spoke to a taxi driver, causing him to fall and hit his head on a stationary car
But now father-of-one Gleeson has converted to Islam and said he wants to fully 'repent' for the killing that he committed due to his own 'bravado'
Gleeson, who suffers from schizophrenia, was kept in hospital under psychiatric evaluation for six weeks before being sentenced to a six-year extended determinate sentence, with the judge describing his actions as 'cowardly attack'
While in prison, Gleeson lost custody of his child and developed an 'extreme' spice habit
In a victim impact statement the Mr Nightingale's (pictured) mother Tina said: 'He was the nicest guy you could ever meet, he would do anything for anyone. We are all devastated that he has been taken away from us'
Police arrested him and took him to Central Park police station in Manchester where he was then granted technical bail and sectioned.
Gleeson, who suffers from schizophrenia, was kept in hospital under psychiatric evaluation for six weeks before being sentenced to a six-year extended determinate sentence, with the judge describing his actions as 'cowardly attack.'
Gleeson, from Rochdale, said: 'I still don't know why I did it, I had been on a five-day bender, I think it was bravado.
'It haunts me to this day, it's very difficult to get over still.
'I would do anything that Adam's family wanted - if it would help them then I would meet them - I just pray every day for them and for Adam.'
While in prison, Gleeson lost custody of his child and developed an 'extreme' spice habit.
He had stints in HMP Forest Bank, Strangeways prison, Manchester, Wyemott Prison, Lancashire, Preston prison, and Buckley Hall prison and on two occasions he was stabbed.
In total he served six years of an Extended, Determinate Sentence which ended in 2021, though he was sectioned until 2024 due to his mental health.
Gleeson gave himself his 'Madman' nickname due to his love of lethal weapons
Gleeson says he left all violence behind and instead focussed on educating himself, becoming a devout Muslim, and generally trying to atone for the sins of his past
Gleeson had stints in HMP Forest Bank, Strangeways prison, Manchester, Wyemott Prison, Lancashire, Preston prison, and Buckley Hall prison and on two occasions he was stabbed
In one instance, he was stabbed in retribution by Liverpool fans in his block after a football match in
