GUILTY UK - Lucy McHugh, 13, murdered,, Southampton, 25 July 2018

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10:48am

The jury is sworn in. The seven-count indictment against Stephen Nicholson is read out (as expressed below). He has denied all charges.

10:52am

The Honourable Mrs Justice May DBE now explains to the jury the trial process and their duty as jurors.

11:02am

The judge finishes her explanation. Mr Moseley QC is about to get his opening underway.

11:07am

Mr Moseley tells the court Lucy died in a "vicious" attack.

11:08am

He tells the court Lucy was stabbed in the neck and the upper body and died in a wooded area near to Southampton Sports Centre on July 25.

11:09am

The court hears how Lucy's body was found the next day by a dog walker.

11:12am

He says how Lucy was just five days into her school holiday when she died.


LIVE: Murder trial over death of Southampton schoolgirl Lucy McHugh to be opened today

 

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11:14am

The court hears that Stephen Nicholson was lodging with Lucy's family for a year before her death.

11:16am

He stayed in a room opposite Lucy and the court hears there was "tension" between Lucy and Nicholson.

11:18am

Mr Moseley said it appeared to the family that Lucy wanted Nicholson's attention and it appeared she had a crush on him.

11:19am

But Mr Moseley said Lucy and Nicholson had been having a sexual relationship since May 2017 - beginning when Lucy was 12.

11:20am

The court hears how Lucy had kept the relationship secret from her family, but had spoken to friends about a sexual relationship she was having.

11:24am

Mr Moseley says how Nicholson had been working as a carer with Lucy's mother and grandmother for an agency in Southampton. He was also a self-employed tattoo artist, a service he advertised through Facebook.

11:26am

The court hears how Nicholson also had a friend, who lived near to the Sports Centre, who was a keen angler and had a number of knives.

LIVE: Murder trial over death of Southampton schoolgirl Lucy McHugh to be opened today

 

[Alyce]

So he had been lodging with them for a year when Lucy died - but had been having sex with Lucy since May 2017, which is 14 / 15 months before she died. So did she know him before he moved in ?

 

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11:31am

Mr Moseley says how on 23rd July an argument broke out at Lucy's home between her and Nicholson.

11:32am

He says, during the argument, Lucy was heard to have shouted 'I've got a hold on you' from her bedroom window.

11:33am

Mr Moseley says on that day, he [presuming that should read 'she'] told the partner of Lucy's mother that she had something to tell him and her mother, Stacey. She said she wanted to wait until Stacey got home. When Stacey arrived home, Lucy had fallen asleep.


LIVE: Murder accused 'was in sexual relationship with 13-year-old schoolgirl'

 

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*now corrected*

11:33am

Mr Moseley says on that day, Lucy told her step-father she had something to tell him and her mother, Stacey. She said she wanted to wait until Stacey got home. When Stacey arrived home, Lucy had fallen asleep.

 

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11:36am

The court hears on July 24, Nicholson was working in Totton when he was sent home, after complaining of sickness. He travelled to his friend's home near to the Sports Centre, Mr Moseley says.

11:44am

The court hears on the evening of July 24, Lucy set up a second Facebook account to contact Nicholson. Contact was established, though Mr Moseley says the data they have received does not reveal the content of those messages.

11:46am

Mr Moseley says there was further contact betweeb the two on the morning of July 25 - the day of Lucy's death.

11:49am

The court hears how Lucy left her home in Mansel Road East, around 9am that day. Around this time, Nicholson is at his friend's home in Curzon Court, near to the Sports Centre. He makes a short trip, by bicycle, to Tesco Express in Coxford Road.

LIVE: Murder accused 'was in sexual relationship with 13-year-old schoolgirl'

 

[Tortoise]

A child is murdered and police can't get to her facebook messages?

 

[Alyce]

A child is murdered and police can't get to her facebook messages?

Sounds like FB still have not given up the password to police ! words fail me sometimes with FBs idea of what is the right thing to do

 

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11:51am

Nicholson is seen on CCTV riding without his hands on the handlebars of his bicycle - something which Mr Moseley tells the jury will become relevant later in the trial.

LIVE: Murder accused 'was in sexual relationship with 13-year-old schoolgirl'

 

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11:56am

The court hears how Nicholson purchases a bottle of Doctor Pepper, some cider, three packets of Lambert and Butler Blue and a Bag for Life.

LIVE: Murder accused 'was in sexual relationship with 13-year-old schoolgirl'

 

[Alyce]

Map showing Mansel Road East ( marker is not Lucy's home ) and distance - walking - to Curzon Court / Tescos / sports centre



Google Maps

 

[Tortoise]

I was going to make a quip about that bag for life. Sort of takes on a new meaning, in terms of a life sentence.

 

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12:00pm

Meanwhile, the jury hears how Lucy leaves her home and travels on foot towards the Sports Centre. She is seen on CCTV at a number of locations, the last of which is at the Tesco Express in Coxford Road - where she is spotted walking past.

LIVE: Murder accused 'was in sexual relationship with 13-year-old schoolgirl'

 

[Alyce]

Curzon Court / Tescos ............. to Sports centre

Google Maps

 

[Alyce]

Looks like our man at the mirror has been called elsewhere

 

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12:06pm

There will now be a short 15 minute break in proceedings.

12:27pm

The case now resumes. Mr Moseley's opening continues.

LIVE: Murder accused 'was in sexual relationship with 13-year-old schoolgirl'

 

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"They saw the cause of that tension to be the behaviour of Lucy... acting as if she had a crush on him and his resistance to her attention."

In fact, the pair had been having a secret sexual relationship which began in May 2017 when she was 12 and he was 23, Mr Mousley said.

A few days before Lucy's death, Mr Nicholson told a friend she was trying to get him thrown out of the family home in Mansel Road East, jurors heard.

The prosecutor said the pair had a "big argument", in which Lucy shouted at the defendant: "This is all your fault" and "I've got a hold on you anyway".

The trial, which is expected to last up to six weeks, continues.
Girl, 13, 'murdered by secret lover'

 

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12:29pm

The court is shown CCTV of a man, which the prosecution alleges is Nicholson, on a dark bike in the Sports Centre around 9.45 am on the day of Lucy's death.

LIVE: Murder accused 'was in sexual relationship with 13-year-old schoolgirl'

 

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12:36pm

Mr Moseley says data from Nicholson's phone shows he receives a text around 9am, but does not reply until around 11am, when he returns to his friend's house in Curzon Court.

(edited after posting to -)

12:36pm

Mr Moseley says data from Nicholson's phone shows the 25-year-old received a text around 9am, but did not reply until around 11am, on his return to his friend's house in Curzon Court.

LIVE: Murder accused 'was in sexual relationship with 13-year-old schoolgirl'

 

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12:44pm

The court is being told of Nicholson's movements later that morning.

12:46pm

The prosecution say Nicholson is seen on a bike carrying a bag on his handlebars. Mr Moseley says that from the CCTV, the bag he is carrying "looks full".

12:48pm

Mr Moseley said in later CCTV, the bag looks less full.

12:49pm

The court hears how later that day, Mr Nicholson returns to Mansel Road East, where he leaves a note with a neighbour saying he intends to have a bonfire.

LIVE: Murder accused 'was in sexual relationship with 13-year-old schoolgirl'