UK - Libby Squire, 21, last seen outside Welly club, Hull, 31 Jan 2019 *ARREST* #18

[Newthoughts]

10:49Sophie Corcoran
Libby had struggled with 'fears of failure'
Mr Wright said Libby had struggled with her mental health since 2013 and there were notes on her medical records about self-harm and suicidal thoughts. He said: “She reported long-standing depression and suspected personality disorder.”

Mr Wright has told the court that later in 2017 Libby was put on a three-month waiting list for cognitive behavioural therapy.

He said: “The impression of those assessing her she has been able to function and manage thoughts of self-harm and appeared happy about going to university and they felt she did not fit the criteria for secondary mental health services.”

Libby Squire murder and rape trial updates week two

So quite possibly teenage angst and unhappy adolescence that she has quite probably grown out of as many, but not all do. I think I can guess which way the defence is going

 

[jamjim]

10:57
Statement from Libby's flat-mate
Richard Wolfall, prosecuting, is reading the statement of Amelia Cummins, who lived with Libby.

She said: “I have known my flat mates since September 2017 when we started living together in halls.”

Amelia has told the court all four girls moved into Wellesley Avenue in 2018.

She said: “We all got on so well together however I would say I’m close to Libby as we study philosophy together.”

Libby Squire murder and rape trial updates week two

 

[jamjim]

10:58
Libby 'felt something big would happen to her'
Amelia says she stayed with Libby over New Year and one morning Libby had said she “felt something big would happen this year. She told me it was just a feeling.”

Libby Squire murder and rape trial updates week two

 

[jamjim]

11:03
Flat mate speaks about the night Libby vanished
Amelia says “everything was completely normal” the week before Libby vanished.

She said: “She didn’t appear to have anything worrying her. I had no reason to suspect there was anything wrong with her.”

Amelia says on January 31, her and Libby returned home after university and during that afternoon they messaged each other about going out.

She said: “About 7.30pm we started getting ready. We were all looking forward to going out. Two friends came to our house and I was driving to our friend Josh’s house on Cromer Street as it was really cold."

Libby Squire murder and rape trial updates week two

 

[jamjim]

11:05
Libby had 'bottle of wine and a vodka and coke'
Amelia says the group stayed in Cromer Street until 11pm.

She said Libby had a full bottle of Rose wine and a vodka and coke at Cromer Street and they “were all having a good time.”

“Libby was really funny, laughing and genuinely enjoying herself”, Amelia added.

Amelia said Libby was “struggling walking” and when she tried to help her she grew agitated.

She said: “This is like Libby when she was drunk as she doesn’t like accepting help.”

Libby Squire murder and rape trial updates week two

 

[mrjitty]

10:45
Evidence about Libby's state-of-mind
Prosecutor Richard Wright QC is outlining Libby Squire's history of mental health issues which he has presented to the court as 'agreed facts'. It follow's her mum Lisa's evidence that Libby had struggled with her mental health and had self-harmed.

Libby Squire murder and rape trial updates week two

OK - so as I suggested in terms of procedure - there are a number of "agreed facts", so one of them will be that the defence accepts it is PR's semen.

 

[jamjim]

11:09
Moment Libby refused entry to Welly
Amelia said the group went to the Well nightclub on Beverley Road but Libby was refused entry. Amelia said she “wasn’t angry” and said she would walk home. She says Libby had been refused entry for “being too drunk” at other events.

Amelia said she called a taxi for Libby and was told a cab was just dropping off and their other flatmate, Chloe, was talking to a taxi driver that had just pulled up.

Amelia said she told Libby to put her seatbelt on.

She said: “Chloe paid the taxi driver and we saw them drive away.

“That was the last time I saw her.

“We went to Welly and we continued our night, drinking, dancing and having fun."

Libby Squire murder and rape trial updates week two

 

[jamjim]

11:10
Image from night Libby vanished taken from near the Welly

Libby Squire murder and rape trial updates week two

 

[jamjim]

11:12
Moment friends realised Libby was missing
Amelia said: “At 00.13am I messaged Libby asking her to let me know she was home but I didn’t hear anything back so I guessed she had gone home and passed out.”

Chloe messaged another flatmate, Erin, who was not out to see if she had heard Libby go home, to which she replied she hadn’t.

The girls returned home expecting to find Libby “wandering the street” or with a neighbour as Amelia says she had seen Libby knocking there before when they had been separated.

Amelia said she drove from Cromer Street up Beverley Road “slowly” to see if they could see Libby.

She said they then drove up Cottingham Road and onto Newland Avenue where they stopped at Pizza Hot to see if Libby had been there.

She then text Libby’s mum, Lisa.

The police were called at 2.21am.

Libby Squire murder and rape trial updates week two

 

[jamjim]

11:13
'Completely out of character to go missing'
Amelia said at that point they still believed Libby would turn up.

She said: “We thought she would turn up after wandering around. The reason we called them (the police) is because we checked everywhere she may have gone to.

“I text her mum telling her what had happened and I told her at 3.20am that we were with the police.”

Amelia has said in her statement “it was completely out of character” for Libby to go missing.

She said the pair were planning to go to Germany together and were “inseparable.”

Libby Squire murder and rape trial updates week two

 

[jamjim]

11:15
Wellesley Avenue where Libby and flatmates stayed

Libby Squire murder and rape trial updates week two

 

[Sera]

Absolutely breaks my heart that her friends were searching everywhere for her and had no idea that she was already dead. We already knew this 2 years ago but hearing the statement from her best friend is making it all so much more real and unbearably upsetting. I hope it brings Libby's family some small comfort to know how much her friends loved her and tried their best to find her.

 

[jamjim]

11:26
Statement from Chloe Wise, Libby’s flatmate
On January 31, Chloe says she was at university and returned home at 1pm.

She says at around 7pm she got ready to go out with Libby and Amelia before they headed to Cromer Street.

She said that at the party some of the boys there were taking drugs, but Libby was just drunk as she was “very anti-drugs”.

Chloe said: “As we walked to the club Libby’s level of intoxication became more noticeable and Amelia had noticed. I was of the belief that the fresh air might have hit her.”

Libby Squire murder and rape trial - flatmates describe final night

 

[Newthoughts]

Absolutely breaks my heart that her friends were searching everywhere for her and had no idea that she was already dead. We already knew this 2 years ago but hearing the statement from her best friend is making it all so much more real and unbearably upsetting. I hope it brings Libby's family some small comfort to know how much her friends loved her and tried their best to find her.

I know. I've got daughters and even in their 20s it breaks my heart how naive they are and how invincible they feel at that age. How they think they can tell if a person is good or bad

 

[Alyce]

In his last trial he pleaded guilty and it did reduce his sentence. Tho that did still seem quite punitive which I guess reflected the fact he was perceived as being at the dangerous sexual predator end of the offending public decency scale.
Am I right in guessing that any sentence he's looking at here means there is no real advantage to him pleading guilty on this one to save her family and boyfriend having to endure all of this?

He would get a few years taken off for a guilty plea - from memory, I think the maximum would be about 3 years, even if he goes for earliest possible plea.
So not really a huge incentive for him to go down the guilty route and end up with - say - 22 years instead of 25. Far better for him to try his chances of getting off with just a rape charge and either a not guilty or maybe a manslaughter charge for Libby's death, which could see him released in about 10 years ( assume a 20 year sentence for the manslaughter ).

 

[Sally4x]

I know. I've got daughters and even in their 20s it breaks my heart how naive they are and how invincible they feel at that age. How they think they can tell if a person is good or bad

Absolutely. My youngest daughter is a month younger than Libby and Libby going missing stopped my daughter from going home drunk in a taxi alone.

 

[jamjim]

11:32
Chloe says Libby was 'quiet and very close to her mum'
Chloe said: “I would describe Libby as having a quiet nature. She is very close to her family, particularly her mother who I am of the belief she speaks to daily.

“I feel she strives to get the best grade possible and is unhappy with herself if she doesn’t get that.”

Libby Squire murder and rape trial - flatmates describe final night

 

[jamjim]

11:37
Court now hearing from Libby's friend Nathan Murphy
Friend Nathan Murphy says they met on the Hull University philosophy course.

“She is an outgoing person with people she knows," he says in a statement. "She has a jovial personality.

“Libby and I see each other around three times a week and sit together. She is very smart. We get on really well and share the same circle of friends."

He is now talking about the night she went missing

Libby Squire murder and rape trial - flatmates describe final night

 

[jamjim]

11:40
Libby in 'good spirits' in hours before she went missing
Nathan says in his statement being read out in court: “(Libby) can usually handle her drink. At 9.50pm on January 31 I went to my friends’ in Cromer Street. When I arrived there was a number of people there including Libby.

“Everyone was drinking, there was music playing and the atmosphere seemed great. Libby was in the living room when I arrived. She beckoned me over and gave me a hug. Libby was in good spirits and we began to talk about our lecture the next day.”

Nathan says Libby “got on well with everyone” that night.

Libby Squire murder and rape trial - flatmates describe final night

 

[Officer Dibble]

He would get a few years taken off for a guilty plea - from memory, I think the maximum would be about 3 years, even if he goes for earliest possible plea.
So not really a huge incentive for him to go down the guilty route and end up with - say - 22 years instead of 25. Far better for him to try his chances of getting off with just a rape charge and either a not guilty or maybe a manslaughter charge for Libby's death, which could see him released in about 10 years ( assume a 20 year sentence for the manslaughter ).

10 years is really concerning as he is a danger to all women IMO