GUILTY UK - Julie, 58, & David Williams, 32, mother & son murdered, Coventry, Oct 2020 *Retrial 2022*

[Legally Bland]

16:22BEN ECCLESTON
'Violence to get what he wanted'
Speaking of Russell's actions from October 21 onwards, Ms Johnson says his "acts of violence were done to get what he wanted".

She adds: "Revenge on a man he believed had slept with his girlfriend, avoid being reported by that man's mother to police, and money.

"And we suggest that pattern equally applies in this case. He wanted sex and he got it through violence."

16:24BEN ECCLESTON
Carjacking
Russell's attempts to evade capture saw him rob a man of his car - a red Ford C-Max - in which Russell was found on October 30, lying on the back seat near to Burton in Staffordshire.

While in custody Russell is said to have told officers: "I did kill her - I didn't sexually assault her."

After being told that samples of his DNA would be taken, Russell said he "did have sex with her".

That ends the prosecution opening. The trial will continue tomorrow morning (Tuesday).

Coventry killer Anthony Russell on trial accused of rape

 

[Skigh]

Triple murderer on CCTV walking with pregnant victim moments before he raped and killed her | Daily Mail Online

 

[Legally Bland]

11:17PAUL SUART
Prosecution summary
Zoe Johnson QC, prosecuting, is summarising the case, in Russell's absence.

Ms Johnson's narrative covers the nine-day period of violence and terror that followed Russell's murders, robberies and rape in October 2020.

CCTV footage
Ms Johnson QC said there was a "poignant" moment when CCTV in Riley Square, Coventry, captured Russell looking at Julie Williams shortly after he had murdered her son David Williams.

CCTV in Riley Square, Bell Green, also captured the moment Russell held a pharmacy door open for Julie Williams in the days before he killed her to stop her from telling police about David's murder.

Live: Coventry killer and rapist Anthony Russell to be sentenced

 

[Legally Bland]

Missed this one.

11:13PAUL SUART
Court absence
Anthony Russell will not be in court for his sentencing.

The court heard how Russell refused to board a van from prison at the best of The Honourable Mr Justice Wall.

It resulted in "a situation of danger" for the prison officers and the attempt to transport him to court was aborted, the court was told.

Judge Wall said he would continue the sentencing in Russell's absence rather than adjourn proceedings.

 

[Legally Bland]

12:01PAUL SUART
Appalling attacks
Ms Johnson QC tells the court about the appalling attack that killed Julie Williams.

Post mortem examinations into the deaths of David Williams and Julie Williams revealed the shocking extent of the injuries they suffered at the hands of Russell.

Eighty-one injuries, including six blunt force injuries, were found on the body of Mr Williams whose cause of death was given as neck compression from strangulation with a ligature.

Julie Williams' body was found at her flat in Riley Square hours before police discovered David's body hidden under a bed at Russell's flat in Riley Square.

Ms Williams' body was found to have 113 injuries, including seven blunt force injuries. The cause of death was given as injuries sustained during the "violent and sustained attack".

The cause of death in the case of Miss McGregor, whose body was found in Newbold Comyn, Leamington, was neck compression from strangulation with a ligature.

Live: Coventry killer and rapist Anthony Russell to be sentenced

 

[Legally Bland]

12:14PAUL SUART
Moved to tears
Ms Johnson QC comes close to tears, her voice clearly breaking, as she reads out a statement from a relative of David Williams and Julie Williams.

"Not only was our dear, loving and caring sister taken, our dear, loving and caring nephew was also taken," Ms Johnson said in reading out the statement.

"We mourn the devastating loss of our sister and nephew. We've loved and lost and tried to carry on, but the pain and grief will never go away.

"We hope not only for our family, but also that of Nicole McGregor's, the defendent is brought to justice."

12:16KEY EVENT
Calls for life sentence
In rounding up her presentation, Ms Johnson invites The Honourable Mr Justice Wall to consider a whole life sentence.

Ms Johnson adds: "This is one of the exceptional and rare cases where the court should consider a whole life sentence."

Live: Coventry killer and rapist Anthony Russell to be sentenced

 

[Tortoise]

Thanks for the updates Legally.

 

[Skigh]

Thanks for the updates Legally.

My thanks too.

 

[Legally Bland]

12:34PAUL SUART
Words from the defence
Mr Tyrone Smith QC, defending Russell, admitted there was no level of remorse he could extend to the devastated families of Julie Williams, David Williams and Nicole McGregor, that could "undo the suffering and loss".

"There is nothing I can say that can diminish the loss of those who care for those who were killed," he tells the court.

"Any show of remorse of that kind would not be welcome or well received and I don't seek to go down that avenue.

"Nothing I can say will undo the suffering and loss of those listening in and those absent."

Live: Coventry killer and rapist Anthony Russell to be sentenced

 

[Legally Bland]

"Create a killer"
Mr Smith QC explores Russell's abusive childhood, saying his troubled upbringing developed the killer-like behaviour he would display in later life.

"What turns a person into a killer of three people?" he asks. "One has to look at their early years.

"His early years one could not wish on anyone. One could not consider the abuse he suffered.

"If you wanted to create a killer, that background is likely to make one.

"It's a background he did not choose or ask for, but one he suffered from."

Live: Coventry killer and rapist Anthony Russell to be sentenced

 

[Legally Bland]

Thank god.

@PA
·
25s

#Breaking Anthony Russell, who murdered a mother, her son and a stranger over six days in 2020, has been sentenced at Warwick Crown Court to a whole-life order

 

[Legally Bland]

13:22PAUL SUART
Whole life sentence
Anthony Russell has been sentenced to a whole life sentence for the murders, robberies, assaults and rape he commiitted during a despicable wave of barbarity and violence.

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/live-coventry-killer-rapist-anthony-23356520

 

[Legally Bland]

13:23PAUL SUART
No chance of release
Passing sentence in Russell's absence, after the sick defendant refused to attend court, the Honourable Mr Justice Wall said: "With the exceptional seriousness and persistent nature of your defending, and the inevitable consequence of what you have done, I should not shy away from a whole life order.

"You will go to prison for life. On each count of murder a whole life order.

"You will remain in custody for the rest of your life and can never apply to the parole board for release."

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/live-coventry-killer-rapist-anthony-23356520

 

[Rusty Braincells]

On each count, a whole life sentence rather than for them taken in the round? Killing three people, I would have expected this sentence but seems each was considered sufficiently serious? Maybe the reporting’s wording, I will look to the full remarks when they come out. In any case clearly Russell is exceptionally dangerous and must be the right decision to never release him.

 

[Legally Bland]

On each count, a whole life sentence rather than for them taken in the round? Killing three people, I would have expected this sentence but seems each was considered sufficiently serious? Maybe the reporting’s wording, I will look to the full remarks when they come out. In any case clearly Russell is exceptionally dangerous and must be the right decision to never release him.

Yeah, I think it could be a typo.