RONALD MARINER FROM BOLTON SENTENCED FOR LIFE AFTER BRUTAL MURDER NEAR BOLTON GOLF COURSE

In a tragic and disturbing case that shocked the community of Bolton, a 23-year-old man named Ronald Mariner was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a young boy, Ryan Mason, whose body was found dumped on a golf course near Bolton, Greater Manchester.

The horrific events unfolded in February when Mariner, who was known to the victim’s family, carried out a brutal attack inside the boy’s home on Hawker Avenue, Bolton. According to court reports, Mariner inflicted multiple stab wounds, stabbing Ryan Mason five times with a knife. The violence did not stop there; he also battered the young boy with a hammer and ultimately strangled him, leading to his death.

Following the murder, Mariner took the disturbing step of wrapping Ryan’s body in a black plastic bin bag. Demonstrating a callous disregard for the victim, he then placed the body into a wheelie bin and transported it to the nearby Farnworth golf course, where he dumped it. The discovery of Ryan Mason’s body at this location prompted a thorough investigation by law enforcement authorities.

Mariner, who resided in Johnson Fold, Bolton, had initially denied the charge of murder during the trial at Manchester Crown Court. However, evidence presented during the proceedings painted a grim picture of his violent past and his relationship with the victim’s family. It was revealed that Mariner was not only a boyfriend but also a distant relative of Lynn, the mother of Ryan Mason. During the trial, Mariner attempted to shift blame onto Lynn, claiming she was responsible for the killing, but the court found the evidence against him compelling.

The court also heard about Mariner’s troubling history of violence prior to the murder. It was disclosed that he had a long record of violent offenses, including the torture of an 11-year-old boy just a month before his 15th birthday, for which he was given a two-year supervision order. At the age of 18, Mariner attacked and fractured the skull of a baby, an act that resulted in an 18-month sentence in a young offenders’ institution. He was released on licence after serving 14 months.

Detective Chief Superintendent Jack Dees of Greater Manchester Police, who led the investigation, expressed concern over the systemic failures that allowed Mariner’s violent tendencies to go unchecked. He emphasized that Mariner’s history of violence should have triggered “loud alarm bells,” advocating for a more robust system to monitor high-risk offenders, especially those with histories of violence against children. Mr. Dees pointed out that if Mariner’s offenses had been sexual in nature, he would have been placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register and his movements closely monitored.

He further stated, “There needs to be a better system of monitoring those assessed as high risk, as Ronnie Mariner clearly should have been.” However, because the violence involved in this case was not sexual, Mariner was left unsupervised once his probation and prison license periods concluded, highlighting a significant gap in the current system of offender management and supervision.