GUILTY Wales - Gerald Corrigan, 74, killed with crossbow bolt, Holyhead, 19 April 2019

[Legally Bland]

Steve Bagnall

@DPWrexNews
·
6m

Mr Tilbury asks “before you can draw any inferences or conclusions” “Do we have the full picture?”

5m

The arrest on June 3 there was a burned out Land Rover belonging to somebody who he associated with. When police attend Gavin Jones address there are freshly washed clothes and “a strong smell” of petrol and fuel cans lying around.

3m

The prosecution say Gavin Jones was the “link man”, but was that the full picture and its now “unravelled”. Agreed facts that Gavin Jones heating system was oil. Some of the cans were marked kerosene. Clothes on the line were negative for micro burns and petrol.

2m

Clothes he was wearing on the day and were negative for micro burns and common accelerants. Clarification previous tweet should have said negative for micro burns and common acclerants.

Steve Bagnall (@DPWrexNews) | Twitter

 

[Legally Bland]

Steve Bagnall

@DPWrexNews
·
21m

The prosecution case was jumping to conclusions and “got it wrong”. Gavin Jones gave the police a “simple and straight forward explanation”. He said he had oil fuel and a leaking pipe and any smell was oil at his property.


20m

“What more could he really have added if he had come into the witness box.” He’s giving an account that conclusively stacks up, says Mr Tilbury.

17m

Need to keep 3 key principles in mind. 1 - The case has been brought by the prosecution and its up to them to prove it. 2. Gavin Jones enjoys basic right not to give evidence. 3. To be cautious about holding it against him because he did not give evidence.


11m

The prosecution introduce evidence from Hannah Salmon that Gavin Jones had a crossbow and the theory is that he must have shared that interest with Whall. But that’s an assumption and “is it right?” “Can you be sure they shared each and every aspect of their lives?”


9m

There is no evidence that Gavin Jones and Whall were sharing a common interest in crossbow.

8m

There is nobody else other than Hannah Slamon who mentions that Gavin Jones had a crossbow and she “wasn’t entirely sure about what she had seen” said Mr Tilbury.

Steve Bagnall (@DPWrexNews) | Twitter

 

[Legally Bland]

Steve Bagnall

@DPWrexNews
·
7m

Gavin Jones trips from Anglesey on June 3 to the mainland North Wales. In his interview he said his parents lived in Bangor and were away on holiday and he needed to sort out his phone because the police had seized it a few days earlier after an incident with Richard Wyn Lewis.

7m

He went to Vodafone and Carphone Warehouse. His reasons for going to Bangor are not challenged.

6m

He said he went to Dean Street n Bangor - he know people round there and his brother Daz. He’s trying to sort out a solicitor through his brother to deal with what happened on May 31 when he was arrested.


5m

There’s a four minute call from his brother to a solicitor when he’s there, says Mr Tilbury.

3m

A number is given to Gavin Jones for the solicitor. Earlier telephone conversations were about getting in touch with a solicitor says Mr Tilbury not planning the burning of the Land Rover.

Steve Bagnall (@DPWrexNews) | Twitter

 

[Legally Bland]

Steve Bagnall

@DPWrexNews
·
1h

Mr Tilbury says phone records show there are communications between people and Gavin who are not connected with the conspiracy “he’s calling his mates”.

1h

There was another vehicle, large blacked out Audi SUV - that turned into Dean Street, Panton Street and then a cul-de-Sac that was co-locating with Martin Roberts Mini and the Land Rover on the day the vehicle was burned.

1h

Given his actions on the day of the burning Gavin Jones was “not much of a link man and very much out of that loop,” with what was going on during the day of the Land Rover burning says Mr Tilbury.


1h

Trial adjourned until around 2pm when Justice Nerys Jefford is going to sum up the evidence.

Steve Bagnall (@DPWrexNews) | Twitter

 

[Legally Bland]

Steve Bagnall

@DPWrexNews
·
49m

Trial about to resume.

45m

Justice Nersy Jefford is summing up the evidence for the jury.

44m

“You are the judges of the facts, not me,” Justice Jefford said.

35m

Justice Jefford refers to the first witness DC Corocoran and presentation. Officers who walked between Porthdafarch Beach and Gof Du took about just under 15 minutes one way.


31m

Telematics and timelines. Justice Jefford says telematics data is recorded by the Land Rover and uploaded to a server at Jaguar Land Rover. They do this by an embedded SIM card. It’s like “a mobile phone on 4 wheels”.


30m

What were the possibility that two doors may open and close at the same time, but it only records one opening and closing. The two doors have to be opened/closed in the same second to get that result.

20m

Justice Jefford is running over the timeline of events leading up to the murder of Mr Corrigan. On April 17 9.20pm the Land Rover engine is turned on at Garddefa and is turned off again on driveway at Gof Du 9.42pm.

18m

Doors are opened and closed a number of times. Lights come on at Gof Du and a few seconds later the engine is turned on and then it goes to Porthdafarch Beach. Prosecution say he saw the lights come on and left. Whall says there are other reasons why he went.

16m

Car is at the beach for over one and a half hours before returning to Garddefa. Prosecution say Whall is scoping Gof Du.

9m

On April 18 Land Rover is at Garddefa - the prosecution say later that night Whall puts equipment in the boot before heading over to Porthdafarch Beach car park. At 11.11pm the car is locked and remains there until just after 12.40am the next morning.

7m

Sky data showed Mr Corrigan was watching a pre-recorded programme til 12.28am when he realised the TV box had lost signal. The dish outside could have moved slightly and lost it.

5m

12.31am a house light comes on at Gof Du recorded on a CCTV camera. There is blood on the light switch . It appears Mr Corrigan went to have a look at the dish and had thought he “had been electrocuted”. That could give a time frame when he was shot.

5m

Mr Corrigan’s injuries were extensive and horrific according to a post mortem investigation.

3m

The cause of death was multiple organ failure due to sepsis caused by the crossbow bolt. That is not in dispute, says Justice Jefford. Home office pathologist Brian Rodgers says Mr Corrigan must have been bending over by the dish.

Steve Bagnall (@DPWrexNews) | Twitter

 

[Legally Bland]

Steve Bagnall

@DPWrexNews
·
2m

The next activity is 12.42am at the Land Rover. The boot is opened, a door is opened, the boot is closed. The prosecution say that’s the time Whall took to get back to the vehicle. Then at 12.57am the Land Rover is at Garddefa.

2m

The journey to Gof Du averaged 24mph and the return journey to Garddefa averaged 38mph.

35s

The prosecution and defence dispute whether the evidence of the doors opening and closing shows there was one or two people in the car.

Steve Bagnall (@DPWrexNews) | Twitter

 

[Legally Bland]

Steve Bagnall

@DPWrexNews
·
6m

Whall lied in interview to police and claimed he was at home. He accepted that was untrue and accepts he was in the Land Rover between April 17-19 and was driving.

4m

Whall says he was alone on April 17 but was with Thomas Barry Williams on April 18 so they could engage in sexual activity in the vicinity of Gof Du. In interview he told police he knew Barry Williams who had been a client and they became friends.

2m

He said he didn’t know what Barry had to do with anything and if he phoned him - it was because he had time on his hands. Asked about anything significant to do with Mr Williams he said he spoke to him one evening.

Steve Bagnall (@DPWrexNews) | Twitter

 

[Legally Bland]

Steve Bagnall

@DPWrexNews
·
34m

In the course of interviews Whall gave his account of meeting up with Mr Williams on April 18/19. On April 17 he “had a lot going on in his head” and they had an argument. He wanted to get out of the house.

33m

He was going to go to rocks at Porthdafarch Beach to meditate and do Tai Chi. But his knee was so bad he went to near Gof Du. “He said he could barely walk at the time and it was painful to drive.”

31m

On April 8 it was agreed Whall attended a health centre and a doctor examined him and he couldn’t fully straighten his leg, his knee was slightly swollen and he requested a private orthopaedic referral.


30m

Despite the state of his knee he drove to Gof Du where he thought he could get to the rocks at Porthdafarch Beach. He had been there before with Gavin Jones to look for Richard Wyn Lewis.

28m

On April 17 Whall said he thought the property was empty. He got out the Land Rover and went across the field to towards the sea, but he saw a car at Gof Du and he thought somebody had come back. He went across the field to bushes.

28m

Whall got uncomfortable with his vehicle being at Gof Du and he drove to Porthdafarch Beach.

24m

Whall said he wasn’t leaving because a light had been put on at Gof Du, he wouldn’t have been able to see it. At the beach he walked to the rocks meditating thinking about Emma and Barry.

23m

Whall claimed he had an “on/off” sexual relationship with Barry. Barry did martial arts DVDs with him and they both had children. They would meet up for walks and “had enough of women in their lives” and their relationship developed.

22m

In 2015 they had kissed on Holyhead Mountain and a sexual encounter. They would call it off for a bit and then it would start again. It was always outdoors and in the day time. Nothing happened after he got with Emma near start of 2018.

Steve Bagnall (@DPWrexNews) | Twitter

 

[Legally Bland]

Steve Bagnall

@DPWrexNews
·
20m

On April 17 when he was on the rocks meditating he was thinking of calling Barry about engaging in sexual activity they had previously engaged in and was looking for somewhere secluded. He thought Gof Du was empty and was looking at bushes near the house.

17m

On April 18 Whall said he contacted Barry Williams - there is evidence of contact between them in phone calls in the afternoon and evening. The last call is 10.26pm. One call lasts four minutes. He said he arranged for Mr Williams to come to Garddefa that night.

16m

He was asked why didn’t they have sexual encounter in the house. He said they had always had the sexual encounters outside, he didn’t know what time Emma was back and didn’t want to be disrespectful.

14m

Whall and Mr Williams drove off with a bag containing items for sex to Porthdafarch Beach. There is only one incident of a door opening and closing. He said they got out at about same time. Then he said Barry may have got out drivers door because it was parked up against a wall.

13m

They rejected some locations and headed back to where Whall had been the night before.

10m

Whall described what they did and said in the course he had used a white latex glove and had thrown it away. He told police It may have semen on and could prove his story.

9m

They didn’t see anyone shooting Gerald Corrigan. The difference in speed driving back was because the atmosphere was “awkward”.

5m

Mr Williams told the court he lives in a camper van. He said he’s known Whall for five years and went to see him as a sports therapist because he had chest injury and started helping Whall with martial arts DVDs.

4m

Mr Williams said they would go running, asking and biking and go out for food - it was a regular thing on a Tuesday. Mr Williams started seeing Suzy Holmes about September 2018 and their contact dwindled.

2m

Was the relationship ever sexuall “Never” said Mr Williams. On April 18, he had an argument with his girlfriend and thrown his phone and broke it. He went to a lay-by in Anglesey to buy some cannabis. He then went to Newborough to pick up his wallet.

1m

He chatted to his sister then left to go and pick up his girlfriend. He said he had not been with Whall on April 18.

Steve Bagnall (@DPWrexNews) | Twitter

 

[Legally Bland]

Steve Bagnall

@DPWrexNews
·
5m

Mr Williams had said that solicitors were telling “him things” for Whall to use him as an alibi. He said he didn’t know why he didn’t just refute the suggestions. He said the solicitors were suggesting stuff and it was easier to agree.

4m

Trial finished for the day. Justice Jefford’s summing up will continue tomorrow at 10.30am.

Steve Bagnall (@DPWrexNews) | Twitter

 

[Legally Bland]

Kelly Williams

@DPDenbNews
·
51m

Back at Mold Crown Court where judge Nerys Jefford will continue summing up the crossbow murder case. Terence Whall denies murder and Gavin Jones denies conspiracy to commit arson after the death of 74-year-old Gerald Corrigan on Anglesey.

27m

The case is about to restart.


21m

The judge is just clarifying a few points she mentioned yesterday to the jury. She is reiterating that Whall doesn’t accept that only one door of the Land Rover opened and closed on April 18 as recorded on the vehicle’s telematics data.

18m

The judge says Barry Williams ‘changed his story’ and finally said he hadn’t been with Whall on that evening. He said he had been told by Whall what to say.

15m

Barry’s mum said prior to April 18, he’d been working with his father. He left his wallet at their home and she was expecting him to come and collect it. She heard him talking to his sister downstairs but said she didn’t hear him leave.

14m

Agreed facts are that Barry called his parent’s landline on on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 16 and 17.

13m

Barry’s sister said he had come home to their parent’s home to collect his wallet and said they chatted until around 1am in the morning.


12m

Barry’s phone records don’t show any calls to his mum on April 18.

10m

‘You might think that evidence is confused or involves a number of inconsistencies’ said the judge when referring to Barry arranging to collect his wallet from his parent’s house.


9m

The judge is now talking about ANPR cameras and the movements of Barry’s van.

7m

Barry’s girlfriend was at work that night. He dropped her off and picked her up. She was asked lots of questions about his mobile phone. He said it was broken when he threw it on the floor during an argument on April 18 about her always working night shifts.

6m

Barry’s phone was last used at 12.15pm on April 19. His girlfriend knew his screen was cracked when he threw it in temper. In interview she mentioned the argument, not the fact that he’d thrown or broken the phone.


4m

‘Whether or when the phone was broken is confused.’ The judge says it’s a matter for the jury to take into account.

2m

On to Whall’s phone now. Agreed facts, he had 2 phones - an iPhone 7 which was last used at 1.07am on April 19. He also had another pre pay phone activated in March 2019. From 1.34am 3 attempted calls were made from the pre paid phone by Whall.

Kelly Williams (@DPDenbNews) | Twitter

 

[Legally Bland]

Kelly Williams

@DPDenbNews
·
12m

He said he destroyed the iPhone 7 because he didn’t want his girlfriend to find images on there and deleting them wouldn’t be enough.

10m

Judge is now talking about what happened at Gof Du from late evening on April 18. DCI Kearney was recalled to give some more evidence during the trial to answer questions about CCTV footage taken from nearby Blackthorn caravan park.

7m

At 11.09pm on 18th, headlights were seen going towards a small car park along the main lane towards Gof Du. Efforts to trace that vehicle were unsuccessful. At 11.40pm another vehicle was picked up. Police said it was a uni student coming to meet his parents at caravan park.


5m

A witness who owns a shed at Gof Du said she was shutting her curtains between 11pm to midnight or later. Saw car near shed and thought it was unusual. Lights were on, went off and then back off again. It wasn’t turning around she said

4m

Mr Corrigan’s partner was first interviewed on April 19. She said before then there had been nothing strange or unusual. She’d gone to bed and he’d stayed downstairs watching tv. First she knew of what happened was when he shouted her. He thought he’d been electrocuted.

1m

An ambulance was called at 12.34am. When they arrived she said she had noticed the front gate was open, which was unusual as they usually kept it closed to keep cows out. The grass was last mowed on April 17.

1m

The judge is now talking about crossbows.

Kelly Williams (@DPDenbNews) | Twitter

 

[Legally Bland]

Kelly Williams

@DPDenbNews
·
2m

The bolt was a broad head with three sharp blades attached to it. It had a removable tip. Hunting with broad heads is illegal in this country and they are not suitable for target practice.

24s

Police forensic investigator marked areas of blood spatter. Officers found 2 crossbow blades from the broad head. The forensic officer found the third. The bolt was pointing towards the sea. It was a 20 inch bolt with orange and white fletchings. The broad head tip was green

Kelly Williams (@DPDenbNews) | Twitter

 

[Legally Bland]

Kelly Williams

@DPDenbNews
·
12m

Whall doesn’t deny that he previously owned a crossbow because he wanted the children to be involved in outdoor pursuits. His first was ‘heavy and accurate.’ He was seen using it by his landlord and a client. He used it in a field near his home for target practice.


9m

You needto stand to use it with a cocking aid to pull the string back. Whall said he sold it to someone who was passing at around the end of Jan 2019. He said he didn’t acquire another one until after Mr Corrigan’s death. But he was still purchasing items for use with crossbow

7m

He made 3 purchases of various broad heads and arrows before he bought the micro light crossbow which didn’t arrive until April 23. Whall said it was no significance he was buying bolts and tips. When police came on May 21, the new one still hadn’t been used.

5m

The prosecution say Whall’s story about passing his crossbow to a stranger is ‘simply not believable’

2m

Whall said he’d had another crossbow in the past but a man looking to buy his landlord’s caravan knocked on the door enquiring about it. He bought the caravan for £50. Whall said the next day another man called asking to buy a van but saw him using his crossbow.

1m

Whall said the man commented ‘nice bit of kit’ but said he told him it was ‘too powerful and difficult to aim because it’s so heavy.’ He said he sold it for £180 but couldn’t say wait make or model it was.

Kelly Williams (@DPDenbNews) | Twitter

 

[Legally Bland]

Kelly Williams

@DPDenbNews
·
13m

Whall’s landlord confirms the caravan was sold for £50, that is an agreed fact.

12m

Prosecution say it’s ‘absurd’ that someone else would travel to the remote location the next day to buy the crossbow and described it as ‘another remarkable coincidence’

10m

Whall had bought the same crossbow bolts, colour and type. Searches were carried out on 3 retailing sites. The only other person police identified as having bought same items was someone who bought th for a hunting trip to South Africa which never happened.


8m

Whall paid £750 for the microlight crossbow that didn’t arrive until after the incident. An expert said it was good for accuracy, reliability and durability.

7m

Whall had bought the exact same bolt and broad head used in the incident. The defence argue they are mass produced and easy to get hold of online or from retailers.

5m

Turning to Gavin Jones. His neighbour was spoken to by police on June 3. At that time, she didn’t mention seeing him with a crossbow. Later on she mentioned it during house to house enquiries. She said he told her he had one and showed her. She can’t remember what it looked like

3m

She then said she wasn’t sure. She said he’d told her he had one and he’d shown her something but she couldn’t be sure and couldn’t describe anything distinctive about it. She said she saw it in a bag. She told her husband it ‘wasn’t a toy.’


3m

The jury is being sent out for a short break.

Kelly Williams (@DPDenbNews) | Twitter

 

[Legally Bland]

Kelly Williams

@DPDenbNews
·
14m

Judge is now moving on to Richard Wyn Lewis. When mr Corrigan was shot, he told his partner to call Wyn. She said she thought it was because he wanted him to drive him to hospital.

12m

They couldn’t get any answer but Richard turned up at the hospital. She said he and Gerald had been friends for around 5 years.


9m

Mr Corrigan’s partner said Richard Wyn Lewis had asked her not to tell police about a fraud against them whereby they’d given him £50k by bank transfer in December 2018. It was supposed to be for land and renovations on Mr Corrigan’s mum’s home.

5m

She also said he told her not to mention two other men involved in the fraud. The couple gave Wyn Jones £200k for work that was never done. She said she ‘hoped and prayed’ Gerry would wake up and speak for himself. She felt scared, vulnerable and in danger.

3m

Whall is a ‘link man’ to Wyn Lewis and attached a tracker to a blue Mercedes on his property. ‘Whether to track the car or Wyn Lewis is a matter for you’ the judge told the jury.

1m

Agreed facts - tracker fitted with a SIM card provided info to Whall’s phone 59 times between May27 and 31

Kelly Williams (@DPDenbNews) | Twitter

 

[Legally Bland]

Kelly Williams

@DPDenbNews
·
5m

‘Whatever was happening culminated in the events on May 31’ at Wyn Lewis’ address the judge said


2m

Gavin Jones also went between 6.30pm and 8pm. There was an incident and police were contacted. Whall and Jones said they had gone because he owed Jones money. The blue Mercedes was not owed by Lewis but he hadn’t paid for it.

2m

The events of June 3 are now being summed up.

Kelly Williams (@DPDenbNews) | Twitter

 

[Legally Bland]

Kelly Williams

@DPDenbNews
·
6m

‘This isn’t a case where someone heard a plan being hatched.. but prosecution ask you to infer that there was the conspiracy... really it’s a question of looking at CCTV, telematics, ANPR and phone records, defence say you can’t draw inferences the prosecution ask you to draw’

4m

Talking about what happened to the Land Rover now. The telematics show boot and door opening just after 11am.

2m

‘There’s an important point’ about the telematics data because there car moves without a door open and close event. Prosecution say it’s because someone was in it to drive it away to dispose of it.

Kelly Williams (@DPDenbNews) | Twitter

 

[Alyce]

Whall doesn’t deny that he previously owned a crossbow because he wanted the children to be involved in outdoor pursuits.

I meant to mention this earlier on the thread - do we know how old his children are ? A heavy crossbow wouldnt be my first choice if I were trying to get my kids into outdoor pursuits.

 

[Legally Bland]

Kelly Williams

@DPDenbNews
·
4m

Land Rover enters cul-de-sac Dean Street. Engine switched off at 12.37pm. It’s locked and unlocked several times. Gavin jones is 5-6 mins away on the same route and no calls are made between him and his brother during that time.


2m

Gavin Jones enters Dean Street. The Land Rover leaves at 13.13pm followed shortly after by a black Mini.

1m

By 13.26 the Land Rover has reached the quarry where it was burnt out. At 13.33 and 13.45 there are 2 phone calls from Gavin Jones to his brother lasting 3 and 4 seconds respectively

Kelly Williams (@DPDenbNews) | Twitter