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

[Harchmare]

12:36DAVID POWELL
Cross examination ends
The defence barrister Andrew Langdon QC has finished his cross examination of Mr Dowlman.

Prosecutor James Newton-Price QC is questioning Mr Dowlman again.

Live updates as Louise Smith murder trial reaches day 7

 

[Harchmare]

12:50DAVID POWELL
'DNA on stick'
Mr Dowlman says he had seen a signed, defence statement from Shane Mays and produced a precis.

Mr Dowlman says Mays could have got his DNA on Stick One after Louise picked up a stick and hit him with it and he took it off her.

Mr Dowlman also says his DNA could have been deposited on the stick 'in other ways. However I am unable to say how.'

Live updates as Louise Smith murder trial reaches day 7

 

[Harchmare]

8 minutes ago
Court resumes - ‘altercation’
Mr Langdon asking about DNA on stick one and if the Mays’ profile on it could have come about if it was used in ‘an altercation’ between Louise and Mays. Court told this scenario would have seen Mays grab the stick from Louise.

Prosecutor Mr Newton-Price is now re-examining the witness. They are discussing that the mixed profile on the stick had DNA from CJ, Mays and Louise. The likelihood that the profile is from all three of them is eight trillion, the scientist has said. Normally the figures are capped at one billion.

‘The mixture can be fully accounted for by DNA from those three individuals,’ he said.

Back now to questions about the defence case. Prosecutor said in summary it is ‘Louise picked up a stick and hit Mr Mays, and that he took it from her’.

Mr Dowland agrees it is possible the DNA got on the stick in that way. But he said: ‘His DNA could have also been deposited on the stick in other ways.’

Louise Smith murder trial: Live updates as Shane Mays case enters seventh day

 

[Harchmare]

5 minutes ago
Murder arrest
Court hearing Mays was arrested on suspicion of murder at Holiday Inn in Farlington on May 27. CJ was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

DC Julie Way and prosecution junior Andrew Houston now reading the interview transcript with police and Mays, who had a legal representative and appropriate adult with him in the interview.

Louise Smith murder trial: Live updates as Shane Mays case enters seventh day

 

[Harchmare]

1 minute ago
Interview
Mays gave prepared statement to police that said: ‘I’ve been arrested on suspicion of murder and I strongly deny this allegation. I’ve had no involvement in the murder of Louise Smith. This is all I wish to say at present.'

He is asked a series of questions during the 89-minute interview but did not answer any, Mr Houston said.

These include asking if Mays was ‘looking to get rid of the evidence’ when he went out in the evening of May 8, and why search when it was ‘effectively pointless’.

Also asked: ‘Did you get angry? Did that spill over?’

Mays was asked if there was a third party involved.

There was no answer to any of the questions.

Louise Smith murder trial: Live updates as Shane Mays case enters seventh day

 

[Harchmare]

5 minutes ago
Jury’s site visit on Monday
Jurors are being released for the rest of the day, with the morning’s session drawing to a close.

Mrs Justice Juliet May said a site visit will take place on Monday, with jurors visiting ‘locations and Havant Thicket that are of particular relevance to this case’.

Jurors told they must not discuss the case on the site visit. The judge added: ‘We are effectively taking the court to the location.’

Jury members should bring their masks although they will be socially distant, she adds.

‘You must not talk at the scene,’ the judge said. ‘You must simply observe.’

After the site visit all parties will assemble in the court but that will be the end of the day’s hearing.

Louise Smith murder trial: Live updates as Shane Mays case enters seventh day

 

[Harchmare]

3 minutes ago
Trial ends for the day
Jurors have left and the judge has risen, with this morning’s session now ended.

This live blog will resume on Tuesday, when jurors are back in place at Winchester Crown Court.

Louise Smith murder trial: Live updates as Shane Mays case enters seventh day

(short day today!)

 

[Harchmare]

13:10DAVID POWELL
Mays denied Louise Smith's murder in police interview
Prosecution: The transcript showed Mays 'strongly denied' his involvement in Louise Smith's murder and was silent each time he was asked a series of police questions.

The questions included:

"Do you know how Louise came to be in Havant Thicket?"

"Did you go there on 8 May?"

"Did you get angry? Did that anger spill over?"

"Are you a victim of hugely unfortunate circumstances?"

"Was Louise alive or dead when you last saw her?"

Live updates as Louise Smith murder trial reaches day 7

 

[Harchmare]

13:16DAVID POWELL
Jurors to make a site visit
The judge Mrs Justice May DBE has told the jurors that they will be visiting the Leigh Park and Havant areas on Monday.

The court will effectively be relocated there and they are not to discuss the case with anyone else there.

Proceedings will resume at Winchester Crown Court on Tuesday.

Thank you for following our live blog here today.

We will have a summary of today's evidence here later.

Live updates as Louise Smith murder trial reaches day 7

 

[Alyce]

Many thanks Harchmare for all the updates today - it is much appreciated.

 

[chimpface]

Does anyone know why they're only sitting for 3 days a week?

 

[polerina]

Thanks very much for the updates, much appreciated as always!

 

[Harchmare]

Does anyone know why they're only sitting for 3 days a week?

Next Monday they're visiting Havant, other than that I don't know. Nothing was reported about that as far as I'm aware.

Could it be something to do with availability?

 

[Atoz]

Does anyone know why they're only sitting for 3 days a week?

Sometimes judges have other commitments on other days. Could be that perhaps.

 

[polerina]

That will be a difficult visit for the Jury, very sad indeed.

 

[Bogyo13]

Thanks @Harchmare for the updates!

 

[Bogyo13]

Do they have the actual log in evidence? Or do they suspect it was used in the bonfire?

 

[Sooty]

The defendant didn’t really have much identity it would appear - no phone of his own, no friends, no bank card. He even took his wife’s surname on marriage. It may be through choice (wanting to live a quiet life off radar) or it may be because he was vulnerable in some way ( which appears to be suggested ). Does anyone know if he worked / had an income? If not, it seems he was pretty much invisible ...... strange for a relatively young man.

 

[Skigh]

Blood found on Louise Smith's uncle's trainers one billion times more likely to have come from her | Daily Mail Online

 

[mrazda71]

Why oh why do the sh**** tabloids insist on saying 'murdered by UNCLE' ... They know he's not her uncle!

Is this all not 'juicy' enough for these gutter rags that they have to try and make it seem more outrageous!

It irks me every time I see it!