GUILTY UK - Louise Smith, 16, Havant, Hampshire, 8 May 2020 *Arrest*

[Harchmare]

10:42JAMIE PHILLIPS
Good morning
The murder trial of Louise Smith has entered a fourth week at Winchester Crown Court.

Closing speeches are expected to begin today.

We will be providing updates of proceedings in this blog.

Louise Smith murder trial updates as closing speeches expected

 

[Alyce]

Oh, so the defence finished on Friday ? we didnt hear much about their other witnesses

 

[Skigh]

Closing speeches are expected to get underway in the Louise Smith murder trial.

Louise Smith murder trial updates as closing speeches expected

(seriously? Was that all the evidence for the defence?)

It has been obvious that there is very little to say in his defence.
He has admitted to repeatedly beating her and the idea of someone finding and then burning her is ludicrous.

 

[Harchmare]

10:49JAMIE PHILLIPS
What happened last week?
On Thursday (December 3), defendant Shane Mays repeatedly denied accusations from prosecutor James Newton-Price QC that he had led Louise Smith into a woodland clearing in order to sexually assault her.

The floowing day (December 4), the court heard from multiple defence witnesses including Shane's father-in-law David Mays and psychologist Dr Anne Beaton.

Louise Smith murder trial updates as closing speeches expected

 

[Harchmare]

Oh, so the defence finished on Friday ? we didnt hear much about their other witnesses

I think there weren't any!

 

[Harchmare]

10:51JAMIE PHILLIPS
Proceedings underway
The jury has taken its place in court and proceedings are now underway.

The day begins with the defence reading out some agreed facts - matters which are not disputed between the two legal teams - to the jury.

Louise Smith murder trial updates as closing speeches expected

 

[Harchmare]

10:53JAMIE PHILLIPS
Short break
The defence has finished reading the agreed facts and Andrew Langdon QC, Shane Mays' defence barrister, confirms that the defence has no further evidence.

Judge Mrs Justice May tells the court that she will summarising directions of law to the jury after a short break.

Louise Smith murder trial updates as closing speeches expected

 

[Skigh]

10:53JAMIE PHILLIPS
Short break
The defence has finished reading the agreed facts and Andrew Langdon QC, Shane Mays' defence barrister, confirms that the defence has no further evidence.

Judge Mrs Justice May tells the court that she will summarising directions of law to the jury after a short break.

Louise Smith murder trial updates as closing speeches expected

It is possible that the jury could retire to consider their verdict today.
My guess is that they will not need long to decide he is guilty of murder.

 

[HollyHunter9]

Oh, so the defence finished on Friday ? we didnt hear much about their other witnesses

Perhaps, after mays on the stand last week didn't really do himself any favours, they've just decided not to put forth anymore witnesses? The more evidence we have heard the more he just looks guilty. IMO

 

[Harchmare]

12 minutes ago
Text messages - baccy and bingo
Junior defence counsel Tom Horder is reading agreed facts - messages between Mays’ wife Chazlynn (CJ) and her mother Tina. They discuss tobacco and bingo tickets.

This comes after last week when Mays, giving evidence, said CJ’s dad dropped them off at Ringwood House on May 8.

Mr Horder says when giving evidence Mays referred to having a stroke, he was referencing Bell's palsy, which he had in August 2010. It caused a temporary paralysis to his left side of his face in August 2010. ‘It was remedied by medication,’ Mr Horder says.

Court on a short break now before the judge Mrs Justice Juliet May gives legal directions to the jury. This means there is now no more evidence to hear.

Louise Smith trial: Live updates as Shane Mays case enters fourth week

 

[Harchmare]

11:15JAMIE PHILLIPS
Jury back in court
The jury has returned to court following a break and Mrs Justice May is now giving them legal directions.

Louise Smith murder trial updates as closing speeches expected

 

[Harchmare]

1 minute ago
‘Put aside emotional responses’
Mrs Justice Juliet May is now giving legal directions to the 12 jurors. She says ‘you must follow these directions’.

Judge says it’s ‘understandable’ if jury members have had an ‘emotional response’ to some of the evidence, given the nature of the case and how Louise Smith’s body was found.

But she says: ‘Please put aside any emotional responses which you may have had. Your job now is to judge this case now dispassionately and fairly on the evidence.’

The judge adds: ‘It’s for the prosecution to prove the case against Shane Mays, he does not have to prove anything.'

Louise Smith trial: Live updates as Shane Mays case enters fourth week

 

[Harchmare]

2 minutes ago
Guilty or not guilty
‘If you are sure that Shane Mays assaulted Louise Smith with the intention of killing her or causing her really serious injury then you will find him guilty of murder,’ the judge says. ‘If not, you will find him not guilty’.

Louise Smith trial: Live updates as Shane Mays case enters fourth week

 

[Harchmare]

11:30JAMIE PHILLIPS
Judge giving legal directions to jury


Mrs Justice May is giving the jury legal directions. This is what they should consider and

"I am responsible for the law, you are responsible for taking issues with the evidence and arriving at a conclusion.

It is for the prosecution to prove the case against Shane Mays by making you sure of it. If you are sure he committed murder you will give a verdict of guilty, if you are not sure it would be one of not guilty."

Louise Smith murder trial updates as closing speeches expected

 

[Harchmare]

Jurors have been told they’ve heard no psychological or psychiatric evidence about Shane Mays suffered trauma or PTSD after repeatedly punching Louise Smith.

Mrs Justice May says jurors ‘must not speculate’ about this. Jurors have been given evidence about his intellectual ability (his IQ), the judge adds.

Louise Smith trial: Live updates as Shane Mays jury told to put aside emotions

 

[Harchmare]

7 minutes ago
Prosecution closing speech
James Newton-Price QC is starting his closing speech

Louise Smith trial: Live updates as Shane Mays jury told to put aside emotions

 

[Alyce]

Very short legal instruction speech from the Judge - and on to closings already - I think they all know where this is going. At this rate, could be verdict today as Skigh said.

 

[Harchmare]

4 minutes ago
‘Clear and compelling case of murder’
The prosecutor says we have ‘asked a lot of you’. He says: ‘You’ve had to listen to troubling evidence about the nature of the attack and the state in which Louise’s body was found.'

Jurors can conclude Louise was ‘fragile and impressionable’ and Shane Mays ‘induced or persuaded her to leave the flat on the 8th of May and go on a long country walk with him to a remote secluded clearing’ at Havant Thicket, the prosecutor has said.

Mr Newton-Price says ‘despite his plea’ of guilty to manslaughter, Mays ‘even now cannot actually bring himself to admit that he killed her’.

‘This is a man who cannot face up to what he has done. How many times do you remember he said he didn’t kill her when he gave evidence?

'We say this attack goes beyond manslaughter and well beyond.

This, we submit, is a clear and compelling case of murder.'

Louise Smith trial: Live updates as Shane Mays jury told to put aside emotions

 

[Harchmare]

2 minutes ago
‘Louise was vulnerable’
‘She was vulnerable to the intentions of an older man,’ Mr Newton-Price said.

Louise’s boyfriend Bradley Kercher told police about a conversation he was part of with Mays and Louise where both said they felt the other was flirting, the prosecutor reminds jurors.

He adds: ‘Shane Mays killed Louise in the 24 hours of that conversation about flirting with her.’

Earlier he had told jurors: ‘You cannot get away with murder, members of the jury, simply because you lost it in a rage.’

Louise Smith trial: Live updates as Shane Mays jury told to put aside emotions

 

[Harchmare]

11:54KEY EVENT
Jury told to put 'strong emotions' aside

Mrs Justice May continues:

Her killing and what happened to her body is sure to raise strong emotions. It is understandable if you have strong emotions.

I ask you to put aside any emotional response you may have and decide dispassionately and fairly on the evidence as you solemnly undertook to do on this jury.

Louise Smith murder trial updates as closing speeches expected