Where is Lawrence Johnson now? Daily Dazzling Dawn broke HMP attack story first

Lawrence Johnson, 26, remains a remanded prisoner in the custody of HM Prison and Probation Service, charged with murdering 26-year-old Alisha Samuels and the attempted murder of a male victim in Newton Heath, Manchester. Daily Dazzling Dawn first exposed the illicitly filmed cell attack on Johnson at HMP Liverpool on Monday, 26 October 2026 — two days before national newspapers confirmed the incident on Wednesday, 28 October. The Ministry of Justice has now confirmed the assault and ordered the removal of the footage from social platforms. Greater Manchester Police charge records verify Johnson, of Dorking Avenue, Newton Heath, was charged on 20 October 2026 and appeared at Manchester Magistrates' Court on 21 October, where he was remanded into custody ahead of a crown court hearing next month.

Daily Dazzling Dawn published the first detailed account of the fifty-three-second recording on 26 October, documenting how footage uploaded via social media appeared to show Johnson being cornered against a green-screened bunk bed by multiple inmates speaking with distinct North West and Merseyside accents. In the recording, the prisoner is addressed by his first name; one voice orders him to sit down, another demands he hand over a mobile telephone, a vape and cannabis, and an individual brandishes a lighter alongside a pointed implement. An unidentified prisoner punches Johnson several times in the face before the person filming says: "Take his s*** off him." Daily Dazzling Dawn understands the footage was said online to have been recorded on the induction wing of HM Prison Liverpool, widely known as HMP Walton, shortly after Johnson entered custody, though neither HM Prison and Probation Service nor the Ministry of Justice has confirmed the exact location or date of the recording, as the Ministry routinely declines to disclose the specific prison allocation of remand defendants for security reasons. The video has since been shared extensively on social media.

READ MORE: Was Alisha Samuels Murder Accused Lawrence Johnson Attacked in HMP Walton?

In statements issued to journalists on Wednesday, the Ministry of Justice confirmed the assault took place and that a phone was used behind bars. A spokesperson said: "Violence will not be tolerated in the prison estate, and this incident was swiftly dealt with. Having a phone behind bars is unacceptable and we have ordered the immediate removal of these posts while investigating how this was able to happen." The Ministry has not confirmed whether Johnson remains at HMP Liverpool following the incident; his formal custodial status is that of an unconvicted remand prisoner awaiting transfer to Manchester Crown Court.

Verified charge records published by Greater Manchester Police confirm that Carl Hardy, 19, of Shaldon Drive, Manchester, born 2 March 2007, and Tony Evans, 19, of Dorking Avenue, Manchester, born 1 March 2007, were charged on 22 October 2026 and appeared at Manchester City Magistrates' Court the following morning. All three face joint enterprise counts of murder and attempted murder and remain in secure custody; magistrates sitting in homicide proceedings hold no power to consider bail. Emergency services were called to reports of a disturbance on Dorking Avenue at approximately 02:00 BST on Thursday, 15 October 2026, where Ms Samuels was pronounced dead at the scene after sustaining fatal stab wounds. A Home Office post-mortem examination later confirmed the cause of death. A 48-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender has been released on bail and has not been charged. A 25-year-old man initially detained at the outset of the inquiry was eliminated as a suspect.

The case is proceeding toward a Plea and Trial Preparation Hearing at Manchester Crown Court, at which all three defendants are expected to be arraigned together; no date has been publicly confirmed by court officials. Under the Contempt of Court Act 1981, reporting is strictly limited to procedural matters, and legal observers warn that circulating unverified illicit prison recordings risks prejudicing active judicial proceedings or influencing potential jurors. Daily Dazzling Dawn will report only verified procedural developments confirmed by Greater Manchester Police or HM Courts and Tribunals Service.

The footage's circulation on 26 October — accumulating more than 3,900 views and hundreds of interactions within two hours of publication — ignited debate over contraband in British prisons. Commentators analysed by Daily Dazzling Dawn noted the confrontation appeared focused on robbing the inmate rather than institutional matters, while others questioned how a remand prisoner could acquire prohibited items within days of arriving on an induction wing. Floral tributes continue to accumulate on Dorking Avenue. Close friend Aimee Quinn said she cannot comprehend how she will live without speaking to Ms Samuels every day, recalling their plans to travel the world together, and a verified GoFundMe appeal established by best friend Carris Mallon to support Ms Samuels' bereaved parents has surpassed £15,981. Detective Chief Inspector Justin Bryant, Senior Investigating Officer, said: "We remain focused on establishing the full circumstances surrounding the events of 15 October and want to reassure Alisha's loved ones that we are committed to securing justice for her." Anyone with information is urged to contact Greater Manchester Police on 0161 856 5464 quoting reference 06GMP26S62-PO1, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.