Boyfriend of murdered Goth Sophie Lancaster opens show

The boyfriend of a Lancashire student kicked to death for being a Goth is to open an art exhibition in Manchester to help raise funds for her foundation.

Sophie Lancaster, 20, was kicked and stamped upon by two youths in 2007 in a Bacup park as she cradled her battered boyfriend, Robert Maltby.

Mr Maltby, a talented artist, who has made a partial recovery, will exhibit 15 paintings at Affleck's Palace.

Money raised will go to the anti-hatred Sophie Lancaster Foundation.

The exhibition which opens on June 3 is made up of 15 canvases named Crimson Iris: The Art of Sophie, external.

Sophie never regained consciousness as she slipped into a coma and died later in hospital.

Ryan Herbert and Brendan Harris, both from Bacup, were jailed for life for her murder, and for causing grievous bodily harm to Mr Maltby.

They were both 15 at the time of the attack.

Three other youths - brothers Joseph and Danny Hulme and Daniel Mallett - were jailed for attacking Mr Maltby.