Face of Adam Rogers' killer

William Upton’s identity can be revealed for the first time after the Lancashire Telegraph made a successful application to overturn reporting restrictions.

Police said the 17-year-old, who had been involved in three previous violent incidents, was a ‘hothead prone to using violence first before asking any questions’.

And it has emerged that Upton is a talented footballer who had been on the books of both Blackburn Rovers and Burnley.

His former manager has told of his shock that the ‘popular lad who had a good disciplinary record’ could be involved in such an attack.

'Billy’ Upton, of Ulverston Drive, Rishton, was due to be sentenced yesterday after being convicted of manslaughter in January.

But the case at Preston Crown Court was adjourned after legal argument over a pre-sentence report which claims he is ‘dangerous’ and has a ‘high risk of causing serious harm to the public’.

Overturning the order banning Upton being named, Judge Stuart Baker said: “There is a legitimate public interest in knowing who is committing grave crimes.”

On July 5 last year, Upton threw a single, fatal punch in Northgate, Blackburn town centre, after Adam had acted as a peacemaker and tried to usher him away.

Then aged just 16 with hair dyed blonde for his prom at Norden High School and Sports College, drink-fuelled Upton started the ‘banter’ between two groups and acted ‘cocky’ and after that had died down.

He then threw an object at Carl Rutherford which re-ignited the dispute with ultimately devastating consequences.

Adam, a coach at Padiham Ladies' Football Club, banged his head on the pavement and died the next day after suffering brain injuries.

Upton, accompanied by his mum, handed himself in to police the next day.

But he upset Adam's friends and family in court by claiming he had been threatened, felt scared and acted in self-defence.

Detective Superintendent Neil Hunter, who led the investigation, said: "As an investigator it’s a good sign when someone volunteers themselves, particularly aged 16, with their mum. You’re thinking 'there’s an element of decency there'.

“But it was completely the opposite in the end. The fact that he chose to run a trial in the face of what was compelling evidence and then to try and sully somebody’s character in the way he did, I thought was outrageous and cowardly."

The teenager had boasted about the attack on social networking site Facebook.

A friend of the defendant asked him about ‘one-timing’ someone – a reference to knocking someone down in a single punch.

The youth’s reply was the single word: “Timber”.

It also emerged during the trial that he had been involved in three violent incidents.

At 13 he headbutted a schoolfriend over an insult about a haircut and received a reprimand from police.

In May 2007, then aged 14, was given a final warning from police after admitting an offence of affray.

In January 2009 six months before he punched Adam Rogers, the defendant was given a fixed penalty notice for being drunk and disorderly after being stopped by police at 3.10am in Darwen Street, Blackburn.

He was intoxicated and moving his head towards the chest of another man challenging him to a fight.

Mr Hunter said: “What we’ve found out about Billy Upton was that he was a bit of a hothead and was prone to using violence first before asking any questions.

“I’m not saying at 16 we’re all purer than the driven snow. We’ve all done things on the spur of the moment that you regret.

"They don’t often end up with tragic consequences as on this occasion.

“But, the fact he tried to wriggle out of it was really unpleasant and probably indicates the type of person he is.”

As well as being on the books of Rovers and Burnley, Upton represented Norden High School and Sports College, his borough and his county at football.

According to his barrister Mark Stuart, a badly broken arm curtailed his sporting ambitions.

He had ambitions to study at St Mary’s College, Blackburn, where Adam's mum Pat Rogers had taught for 31 years.

Upton had enjoyed participating in the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme, which involves expeditions, team building exercises and working with younger children.

Tony Regan is the secretary of Mill Hill Juniors - formerly Accrington Stanley Juniors where Upton played from aged eight up to age 13 and again at 15 after spells with Blackburn and Burnley’s youth academies.

He said: “You’d have never have dreamed he could be involved in something like that.

“I was surprised to hear about what happened, but when young men at that age get a drink down their neck, anything can happen. It’s tragic.

“He was right-footed good all-round midfielder who could score goals and defend. Billy was one of the better players in the competitive junior leagues, but didn’t quite make the grade.

“Professional clubs are very harsh, you’ve either got it or you haven’t. But he came back to us at 15 - for footballing reasons - the same lad.

“We never had any problems with him, he had a good disciplinary record and was a popular member of the team.”