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

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2:54pm

He said he later had a phone conversation with Nicholson, in which he said the 25-year-old attempted to console him about the news.

3:03pm

Mr Elmes tells the court on July 26 Nicholson told him he was switching phones between his and a phone belonging to his sister - because he had been using his phone to deal cannabis.

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: 'Teenager was not pregnant', court hears

 

[Tortoise]

3:06pm

Mr Elmes the court on the following day (July 27) he has a 13-minute phone call with Nicholson, who he said expressed concern about being found out for dealing cannabis. Mr Elmes tells the court that he told Nicholson to be "as honest as possible" with the police in order to help them.

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: 'Teenager was not pregnant', court hears

 

[Tortoise]

3:09pm

Prosecutor William Mousley QC begins asking Mr Elmes about a letter he found after Lucy's death. He said he was taking the washing out of the machine when he found the letter in a pocket of Lucy's jeans. Mr Elmes said the letter was titled 'Abuse'.

3:10pm

Mr Elmes said he passed the letter, written in Lucy's handwriting, to the teenager's mother, Stacey.

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: 'Teenager was not pregnant', court hears

 

[Tortoise]

3:15pm

Mr Elmes is asked about the contact between him and Nicholson over the three days around Lucy's death. He said it was "a lot less" than normal.

3:19pm

The court now takes a short break.

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: 'Teenager was not pregnant', court hears

 

[Tortoise]

3:31pm

The judge, jury and defendant return to the court. Mr Mousley tells the court that they will not have time to examine the last witness today. Mr Elmes will be the last to give evidence this afternoon.

3:33pm

Nicholson's defence barrister, James Newton-Price QC, begins to examine Mr Elmes.

3:36pm

He asks Mr Elmes about his relationships with Nicholson. He says that he had grown up on the same street as Nicholson. He said he later used to spend time socially with him and Nicholson had tattoed him.

3:41pm

Mr Elmes is asked about how Nicholson came to live with him. The court hears how the house used to belong to Mr Elmes' father, who Nicholson lived with while he was terminally ill. The court hears after Mr Elmes' father passed away, in 2016, a deal was struck with a landlord who paid off the debts in return for ownership of the house. As part of the deal, Mr Elmes would get "in effect" a lifetime tenancy.

3:42pm

Mr Elmes said he then moved into the house with Stacey and Nicholson became their lodger.

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: 'Teenager was not pregnant', court hears

 

[Tortoise]

3:50pm

Mr Newton-Price asks about a trolley that was in the house. Mr Elmes said the trolley would hold Nicholson's tattoo equipment and books. It also had blue plastic gloves that would be used by Nicholson and Stacey for their care work.

3:52pm

Mr Newton-Price also asks about Nicholson making complaints about things of his going missing. Mr Elmes said he would hint at things going missing.

3:55pm

Mr Newton-Price now asks about missing clothing. He asks about the clothing of Nicholson's going missing. Mr Elmes said he wasn't told at the time but he confirms that some were found in Lucy's room.

4:00pm

Mr Newton-Price asks if Lucy would follow Nicholson around the house from time-to-time. Mr Elmes said "yes". He also asks if it is fair to say if Mr Elmes believed Lucy had a "teenage crush" on Nicholson. He replies "yes".

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: 'Teenager was not pregnant', court hears

 

[Tortoise]

4:01pm

Mr Newton-Price asks if Nicholson ever complained about Lucy's behaviour to him. Mr Elmes said he got the "odd text message, but that was about it".

4:03pm

Mr Elmes is asked if he and Stacey ever spoke to Lucy about Nicholson's complaints. He says "yes".

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: 'Teenager was not pregnant', court hears

 

[Alyce]

Mr Elmes, the partner of Lucy's mother Stacey, 31, said: 'In December 2017, we had a discussion that he ( SN ) needed to move out. But it didn't happen.'

Isn't this when Lucy went to live with her g/mother ?



Lucy McHugh's step-father 'told lodger accused of her murder to leave' | Daily Mail Online

 

[Tortoise]

4:09pm

Mr Newton-Price asks about arguments between him and Lucy. Mr Elmes says he did have arguments with Lucy. He is asked if there were lots of arguments. Mr Elmes said: "There were good days and bad days."

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: 'Teenager was not pregnant', court hears

 

[Tortoise]

Mr Elmes, the partner of Lucy's mother Stacey, 31, said: 'In December 2017, we had a discussion that he ( SN ) needed to move out. But it didn't happen.'

Isn't this when Lucy went to live with her g/mother ?



Lucy McHugh's step-father 'told lodger accused of her murder to leave' | Daily Mail Online

I think it must have been around that time.

 

[Tortoise]

4:15pm

Mr Newton-Price presents the jury with a list of text messages in which Nicholson complained to Stacey about Lucy. One included: "Your daughter keeps following me around." Another included: "Your daughter won't leave me alone."

4:18pm

Mr Newton-Price reads a number of similar texts to the jury.


LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: 'Teenager was not pregnant', court hears

 

[Tortoise]

I wish we got more context to the things being reported. Such as SN's missing clothes found in Lucy's room, and the blue gloves.

Are the defence suggesting RE did it, wearing SN's clothes?

 

[Tortoise]

The signed-for parcel (new trainers) has me a bit confused. I think the delivery driver says a younger man signed for it between 9 and 11. Mind, he did have time to have gone back to the house if he met Lucy at 9.30, but I wonder when/where he cleaned himself up.

 

[Tortoise]

4:22pm

Mr Newton-Price asks if Mr Elmes was growing frustrated at Lucy. Mr Elmes said: "At that point in time yes."

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: 'Teenager was not pregnant', court hears

 

[Alyce]

I wish we got more context to the things being reported. Such as SN's missing clothes found in Lucy's room, and the blue gloves.

Are the defence suggesting RE did it, wearing SN's clothes?

He's definitely pushing to show there has been a certain level of air brushing of the whole family situation, putting it politely. Which may lead on to deflecting the blame towards RE.

 

[Alyce]

The signed-for parcel (new trainers) has me a bit confused. I think the delivery driver says a younger man signed for it between 9 and 11. Mind, he did have time to have gone back to the house if he met Lucy at 9.30, but I wonder when/where he cleaned himself up.

If SN signed, I would have thought there would be an exact timing - unless the record has been lost ?

 

[Tortoise]

4:29pm

Mr Newton-Price asks Mr Elmes if he knew that Stacey had a meeting with Lucy's school, then St Anne's in Southampton, into claims Lucy had told friends at school she was in a relationship with Nicholson. He replies that he knew there was a meeting but was not sure what it was about.

4:30pm

He also asks if Mr Elmes knew that social services had been brought in to carry out an investigation into the claims. He replies "no".

4:32pm

Mr Newton-Price tells the judge that he has "some way to go" in his examination of Mr Elmes and asks if it is the right time to end today's evidence. The judge adjourns the hearing until tomorrow.

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: 'Teenager was not pregnant', court hears

 

[LittleMystery]

Thanks for the updates today, everyone! Much appreciated.

 

[LittleMystery]

Sorry in advance for the source but extra details in here

In a text to Stacey in May last year, Nicholson said: 'Every time I come out my bedroom or the toilet your daughter tries to grab me. When I tell her to piss off she tries to push me down the stairs.

'Next time she does, I am going to throw her down them. Next time she puts her hand over my mouth when I tell her to f*** off, I am going down to her school and paying a group of girls to beat her up.'

...

The court also heard Nicholson made further complaints around the same time about Lucy getting up early and following him about and coming out of her room in just her underwear.

...

Jurors heard Nicholson called Mr Elmes again the next day, July 26, during which it is alleged he revealed information about Lucy's death that not even her stepfather knew at the time.

Mr Elmes also told jurors Nicholson, who had been his 'best friend', called him in an attempt to 'console' him after Lucy's body was found at Southampton Sports Centre.

He added that the defendant 'weirded him out' because he talked about where her body had been found, which had not yet been published online by the media.


Lucy McHugh's step-father 'told lodger accused of her murder to leave' | Daily Mail Online

 

[HongKongPhooey]

Unusual kind of dynamic in that house wasnt it?