Daily Mail
June 18, 2014
The grieving family of a music fan who was beaten to death in a random attack at a festival have made a heart-breaking appeal to find the man’s killer.
Robert Hart, 26, suffered fatal head injuries after being attacked in front of his girlfriend at the Parklife Weekender Festival in Manchester.
It is believed Mr Hart was punched to the floor and knocked unconscious as he stepped in to protect Gemma Parry after she was hit in the back with an inflatable doll.
The attack took place as 67,000 people converged on Heaton Park to see R’n’B-turned reggae star Snoop Dogg aka Snoop Lion aka Snoopzilla perform live.
Two off-duty medical staff rushed to Mr Hart’s aid and gave him CPR. He was rushed to hospital but died four days later after suffering a bleed to the brain.
Today his mother Elaine, 65, from Rainow, near Macclesfield, Cheshire, broke down as she made an appeal for the killer to come forward.
Mrs Hart, who was supported by her family and Miss Parry, 32, said: ‘I have lost my son who I absolutely adored, as I do all of my children.
‘He would come home and hug me and as he got older he got taller and taller and made me feel small. I just looked forward to him coming home so much.
‘He would sometimes call me Elaine or mum but quite often he would still say mummy.
‘He was the kindest, warmest, and funniest man and not aggressive and we all adored him. This person has took that all away from us. They know they have done it.’
Mrs Hart later read a Mother’s Day card the victim had written to her last March.
He wrote: ‘To mummy. Wishing you all the love in the world on Mother’s Day.
‘Thanks for always being there and being an endless source of advice and love and for being a fantastic chef. Lots of love, Robert.’
Keen guitarist and Manchester City fan Mr Hart, originally from Macclesfield, lived in Liverpool with his girlfriend after attending university in the city.
The pair were said to be planning to start a family together.