Sale Man Jailed for Five Years After Fatal Petrol Station Attack

Published by Robert L Senior Reporter on Friday 7th March 2025, at 20:30hrs

A man who violently attacked another man with a walking stick at a Sale petrol station in 2017, leading to his death years later, has been sentenced to five years in prison.

Tyren Pollard, 51, of Newbury Avenue, Sale, was found guilty of manslaughter and grievous bodily harm in November following a trial at Minshull Street Crown Court. He was sentenced today, Friday, March 7th.

The incident occurred on December 11th, 2017, at a petrol station on Marsland Road in Sale. Bernard Hirsch, 43, was filling his car when Pollard arrived and began shouting at him, reportedly over the use of a petrol pump.

Pollard then proceeded to attack Mr. Hirsch, striking him multiple times with his walking stick.

Mr. Hirsch sustained a cut to his lip and was left shaken. In the following days, he suffered from severe headaches, vomiting, and collapsed on December 14th.

A scan revealed a bleed on his brain, and he subsequently developed sepsis and pneumonia while in intensive care.

While Mr. Hirsch did eventually regain consciousness after a period in a coma, he suffered from limited mobility and speech.

He was discharged in August 2018 and cared for by his wife and carers. Tragically, he contracted Covid-19 and died on March 20th, 2020.

A post-mortem examination revealed that the brain injury sustained during the 2017 attack was a contributing factor to his death.

Pollard was interviewed by police in February 2018 and charged with manslaughter and assault causing grievous bodily harm in September 2023.

Detective Sergeant Kirsty Wroe, from Greater Manchester Police’s Trafford district, said:

“Pollard’s senseless and totally unwarranted attack left a man with a serious bleed on the brain, and drastically reduced his quality of life over two years until his death.

His actions have left a family grieving – and all of whom have been strong and resilient in what has been an incredibly difficult few years.

Pollard is now behind bars, and I hope that Bernard’s family now receive some closure as they continue to rebuild their lives following his sad passing.”