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

[Legally Bland]

33 seconds ago
Officer’s statement describes Louise’s body
A statement by one of the police officers who found Louise’s body has been read out in court. It describes how the teenager’s body had been ‘torched’, with bones broken and her body violated.


A lighter was also found at the scene by officers.

 

[Legally Bland]

15:36KEY EVENT
Her body was 'like it had been torched'
Mr Newton-Price QC is reading a witness statement from the police officer who discovered the body.

She said it was clearly a female body and it was "very petite".

The officer said the body looked like it had been "torched". The head, neck and chest area was badly burnt.

Louise had also suffered a significant injury to her jaw.

Several sticks had been piled on top of the body, which was said to have been done in an attempt to fuel a fire.

A lighter was found at the scene.

Live updates from court as Louise Smith murder trial begins

 

[Legally Bland]

This must be really bad.


16 seconds ago
Louise had 19 injuries on her body, says prosecutor
The prosecution has listed a total of 19 seperate injuries across Louise’s body, the details of which are too graphic for publication.

 

[elliefant]

Horrific. It’s not sounding at all like manslaughter to me so far.

 

[Legally Bland]

37 seconds ago
‘Heavy blows’ to Louise’s head could have killed her
Reading from the pathologist’s report, Newton-Price, prosecuting, says it was likely Louise suffered a number of heavy blows to her head.

He said: 'Louise received several very heavy blows to her face and jaw.

'The pattern of injury suggests repeated heavy blows from a heavy object. The force of these blows could by themselves have killed her.'

 

[Legally Bland]

Horrific. It’s not sounding at all like manslaughter to me so far.

Yeah, I don't think there's any chance a jury are going to buy that.

 

[Legally Bland]

15:49ALEX BOYD
Heavy blows inflicted to Louise's head
Reading from the pathologist's report, the prosecutor said that a number of repeated, heavy blows were inflicted to Louise's head.

Live updates from court as Louise Smith murder trial begins

 

[Legally Bland]

30 seconds ago
Louise’s death was ‘violent and unlawful’
Due to the horrific injuries sustained to Louise’s body, including her body being burned, the pathologist has been unable to ascertain the exact cause of Louise’s death.

James Newton-Price, prosecuting, said: ‘What we do know is this. Louise Smith suffered a violent and unlawful death.’

 

[Legally Bland]

15:55KEY EVENT
It is unclear what injury killed Louise
Mr Newton-Price QC said it is not possible to determine exactly which injury was the one that killed Louise.

He said that the pathologist was unable to conclude which injury was the fatal one, due to the severity of them, including the body being burned.

The prosecutor submitted:

"It is abundantly clear that Louise Smith suffered a violent and unlawful death."

Live updates from court as Louise Smith murder trial begins

 

[Legally Bland]

15:57ALEX BOYD
Possibility that Mr Mays may have returned to scene
The prosecutor submitted that it is "likely" that Mr Mays returned to the scene after the killing in order to try and burn the body.

Mr Mays had told police that he had gone out on multiple occasions to look for Louise.

Mr Newton-Price QC said that could not have been the case as he knew exactly where she was.

Live updates from court as Louise Smith murder trial begins

 

[Legally Bland]

If Mr Mays had taken a certain route to return to the scene, his journey would not have been on CCTV, the prosecutor said.

Live updates from court as Louise Smith murder trial begins

 

[Legally Bland]

38 seconds ago
Defendant ‘might have returned’ to Havant Thicket to burn Louise’s body
After killing her, Shane Mays could well have returned to Havant Thicket to burn Louise’s body when he claimed to be out searching for her, the prosecution has claimed.

The pathology report claims Louise would have died on either Friday, May 8 or Saturday, May 9.

Newton-Price said: ‘It’s likely he must have returned to the scene to burn her body. He can’t have been out searching for her because he exactly where her body was.

‘That outing would not have been caught on CCTV if he took a certain route.’

 

[Legally Bland]

16:02ALEX BOYD
Louise's phone also found nearby
Louise's phone was also found discarded in the woods nearby.

Live updates from court as Louise Smith murder trial begins

 

[Legally Bland]

12 seconds ago
Trial concludes for the day
That’s it for today. The prosecution is due to wrap up the pathologist’s report tomorrow morning, with proceedings starting around 10.30am.

 

[Bogyo13]

12 seconds ago
Trial concludes for the day
That’s it for today. The prosecution is due to wrap up the pathologist’s report tomorrow morning, with proceedings starting around 10.30am.

Thank you, Legally Bland!

 

[Legally Bland]

16:06KEY EVENT
Proceedings ended for the day
Before moving on and then concluding his opening, Mr Newton-Price QC has said to Mrs Justice May DBE that now may be a good time to finish proceedings for the day.

The judge agrees, so that will be the end of today's proceedings.

The prosecutor will continuing with his opening tomorrow morning.

A full article from today's proceedings will be up on our website later this afternoon.

Live updates from court as Louise Smith murder trial begins

 

[Alyce]

38 seconds ago
Defendant ‘might have returned’ to Havant Thicket to burn Louise’s body
After killing her, Shane Mays could well have returned to Havant Thicket to burn Louise’s body when he claimed to be out searching for her, the prosecution has claimed.

The pathology report claims Louise would have died on either Friday, May 8 or Saturday, May 9.

Newton-Price said: ‘It’s likely he must have returned to the scene to burn her body. He can’t have been out searching for her because he exactly where her body was.

‘That outing would not have been caught on CCTV if he took a certain route.’

That sounds horrific if it was the Saturday

 

[Skigh]

Thank you, Legally Bland!

Yes,Thank you very much for your time and effort posting today.

 

[Alyce]

Thanks Legally - much appreciated, particularly with you having to work with that messy website

 

[Alyce]

Shown in court today