Christopher Bradbury

On the evening of Thursday 23 July 2026, Christopher Bradbury was stabbed on Ridgway Road, near Hanley Park in the Shelton area of Stoke-on-Trent. Staffordshire Police were called at 7.40pm. Police said he was found by members of the public, who contacted the emergency services.

West Midlands Ambulance Service sent an ambulance, a paramedic officer, the Midlands Air Ambulance and two North Staffordshire BASICS doctors. Despite the efforts of the emergency services, he was pronounced dead at the scene. The Sentinel reported that he was pronounced dead around 12 minutes after emergency workers arrived.

Police cordons were set up on Ridgway Road and across a large part of Hanley Park, and police appealed for anyone who had been in the area between 6pm and 8pm that evening to come forward. He was formally named by police on 27 July 2026.

An inquest into his death was opened and adjourned in August 2026 while criminal proceedings take place.

Christopher Bradbury lived in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. His family's death notice describes him as "of Stoke, formerly of Hanley", one of the six towns that make up the city.

He was 44 when he died in July 2026. His exact date and place of birth, his schooling and his working life have not been made public by his family, and the news reports about his death did not include those details.

The tribute his family released through Staffordshire Police names the people closest to him: "He was loved so much by his mum and partner, brother and sister. He will be sadly missed by his father and partner."

The family death notice remembers him as "a loved Son, a dear Brother and friend". The names of his relatives and his partner have not been made public, and no children have been mentioned in published reports.

The family's request that mourners dress casually at his funeral, rather than in traditional mourning attire, was one of the few personal touches shared publicly.

Staffordshire Police launched a murder investigation codenamed Operation Greenman. Early arrests included a 25 year old man on suspicion of murder and a 17 year old boy from Newcastle-under-Lyme on suspicion of assisting an offender. The boy was later bailed with conditions, and a 24 year old man was released with no further action.

Four men were charged with murder:

• Subhan Nadeem, 20, and Dhannish Mahmood, 19, charged on 28 July 2026
• Hassan Ahmed, 19, charged on 29 July 2026
• Qays Mahmood, 25, charged on 30 July 2026

At Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on 28 September 2026, the four men denied murder, according to BBC News. A trial was listed to begin on 22 February 2027 and is expected to last around two weeks.

On 19 October 2026, police said a 17 year old boy from Stoke-on-Trent, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been charged with intending to pervert the course of public justice and with using a motor vehicle without third party insurance. He was bailed to appear at North Staffordshire Justice Centre on 24 November 2026.

Everyone charged is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Police have asked the public not to speculate about the circumstances on social media while proceedings are active.

A service and cremation for Chris Bradbury took place at Carmountside Crematorium, Stoke-on-Trent, at 10.30am on Friday 21 August 2026, arranged by Williamson Brothers Family Funeral Directors of Hanley.

Mourners were asked to meet at the crematorium, and the notice said: "No mourning attire is necessary, casual clothing is warmly encouraged." The family requested family flowers only, with donations to The Ben Kinsella Trust.

The notice closed with the words: "Chris will be sadly missed but fondly remembered by all who knew him."

By choosing The Ben Kinsella Trust for donations in his memory, his family linked his name to the charity's work educating young people about the consequences of carrying knives. The Trust was set up by the family of Ben Kinsella, a 16 year old who was stabbed to death in Islington, London, in 2008.

His family's tribute and the words of the death notice remain the clearest public record of how he is remembered by those who knew him best.

His death was covered by the BBC, The Sentinel, the Express & Star, Stoke Nub News, Greatest Hits Radio, Cross Rhythms City Radio and Six Towns Daily, largely drawing on Staffordshire Police statements.

The case was also widely shared on social media, where it became the subject of heated and often political commentary. Staffordshire Police repeatedly reminded people that legal proceedings were active and asked them not to speculate or circulate footage. This page reports only facts published by the police, the courts, the coroner, his family and established news outlets.