Would-be mugger 'drowned in canal after victims fought back and pushed him in'

Petty criminal Steven Cane, 25, died after being shoved into the water

Police believe he was trying to mug two men with a young accomplice

A boy, 17, was arrested and charged with causing grievous bodily harm



The mugging victims, aged 28 and 34, will be questioned by detectives

A petty career criminal plunged into a canal and drowned as he tried to rob two men on a city centre towpath, it is believed.



Steven Cane, 25, was rushed to hospital after falling into the Rochdale Canal, in Manchester, but died two days later.

One of the two men he targeted also fell into the water but clambered out and has made a full recovery.



Canal death: Career criminal Steven Cane died after falling into the Rochdale Canal in Manchester city centre as he tried to mug two men

The two men who shoved the mugger into the water will be questioned by police about the incident - but officers are not planning to treat them as suspects as it is believed they were victims of crime.

A post-mortem examination is due to be carried out but it is thought Cane - who is said to have a 'catalogue' of previous convictions - died from drowning.

A 17-year-old boy - suspected of being the robber's accomplice - was arrested on suspicion of attempted robbery and attempted murder following the incident.



He was later charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent and occasioning actual bodily harm and a third charge of obstructing police and is now awaiting trial. A third suspect was released without charge.

The incident happened on Sunday evening as two men, aged 28 and 34, were walking along the canal path that runs towards a tunnel known as the Undercroft.

Scene: The two men, aged 28 and 34, were walking along the towpath when they were mugged. Steven Cane, a petty criminal, was shoved into the water and later died

Both men were accosted by Cane and an alleged accomplice and it is thought they were told to hand over valuables.



Cane began grappling with one of the victims and they both fell into the canal together.

The mugging victim is thought to have swam to the canal bank and got out of the water before running away, but Cane disappeared and the emergency services were called.

The petty criminal was dragged onto the towpath by police before being rushed to Manchester Royal Infirmary by ambulance where he died two days later.



Police said the suspected mugging victim ran away from the scene after gettingout of the water but he collapsed a short distance away.

He was taken to hospital for a check-up but was later discharged.

Detective Inspector Brian Morley from Greater Manchester Police said: 'We are still trying to piece together exactly what happened before these two men fell in the canal.



'One of the men managed to get out of the canal himself, however the other man had to be rescued by emergency services and was taken to hospital.

'If anyone witnessed the incident or has any information which may help us with our inquiries, please contact the police as soon as possible.'