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

[Tortoise]

3:49pm

The court hears Nicholson stayed with her for two nights, before leaving to stay at his mother's house.


LIVE: School chiefs believed Lucy McHugh was 'vulnerable', court hears

 

[Tortoise]

3:56pm

She talks about a text she sent to Nicholson on the morning of July 25 - after hearing Nicholson had been off sick from work the day before.


LIVE: School chiefs believed Lucy McHugh was 'vulnerable', court hears

 

[Tortoise]

3:58pm

The court hears Nicholson replied around 10.50am that day - the day Lucy went missing.

LIVE: School chiefs believed Lucy McHugh was 'vulnerable', court hears

 

[Sprockett7701]

Thanks for all the updates @Tortoise

 

[Tortoise]

3:59pm

She said she later went round to Stacey's house around 7pm to give Richard Elmes a driving lesson.


LIVE: School chiefs believed Lucy McHugh was 'vulnerable', court hears

 

[Tortoise]

4:01pm

She tells the court that when they returned, Stacey left to go out and look for Lucy.

4:03pm

The jury hears the friend helped Stacey search Lucy's room for clues. They found a pin number letter which was meant for Nicholson, the court hears.

LIVE: School chiefs believed Lucy McHugh was 'vulnerable', court hears

 

[Legally Bland]

Article in the Guardian, mainly about the safeguarding issues raised today.

Elmes also said he had arguments with the teenager and admitted he sent a message to White saying: “I’m going to end up punching Lucy.” White replied: “If you punch a child, you will end up in jail, so is it worth it, seriously?”

Lucy McHugh murder trial hears school raised safeguarding fears

 

[Tortoise]

4:04pm

She is asked what happened to the letter. She said: "I gave it to Stacey, she gave it to Richard and Richard burnt it." She added: "It was very usual. Richard likes to burn rubbish."


LIVE: School chiefs believed Lucy McHugh was 'vulnerable', court hears

 

[Tortoise]

4:10pm

The court now hears about the day Lucy's body is found. The friend says she is with Richard Elmes when she receives a phone call from Nicholson.

LIVE: School chiefs believed Lucy McHugh was 'vulnerable', court hears

 

[Tortoise]

4:13pm

She said she did not remember the contents of the short phone call, but then saw him nearby.

LIVE: School chiefs believed Lucy McHugh was 'vulnerable', court hears

 

[Legally Bland]

The court heard that Ms White had sent a message to a friend saying that "a certain child of mine (has been) shouting I have a drug dealer in the house".

Mr Elmes said he did not remember Lucy complaining to him about Nicholson dealing drugs but added: "His cannabis was always kept upstairs in his drawer."

Murdered schoolgirl Lucy McHugh told family that defendant had been dealing drugs from their home, court hears

 

[Alyce]

From Legally's link above

Elmes also said he had arguments with the teenager and admitted he sent a message to White saying: “I’m going to end up punching Lucy.”
White replied: “If you punch a child, you will end up in jail, so is it worth it, seriously?”

Maybe it's just me, but if my b'friend/fiance said he was going to punch my daughter, I don't think my first thought would be to warn him how to avoid jail.

 

[Tortoise]

4:13pm

She said she did not remember the contents of the short phone call, but then saw Nicholson nearby. She said Nicholson said he did not know how to speak to Lucy's mother about Lucy's death and that he was worried the police were going to search his mother's house. He said he was worried because he had been told that a person with tattoos and on a bike had been seen arguing with Lucy at the Sports Centre.


LIVE: School chiefs believed Lucy McHugh was 'vulnerable', court hears

 

[Tortoise]

4:22pm

The court now hears about the letter, written by Lucy, which was found in December.

LIVE: School chiefs believed Lucy McHugh was 'vulnerable', court hears

my note - this must be the one found in RE's lighter pot I think

 

[Tortoise]

4:24pm

The friend said she was helping search the home because Mr Elmes was looking for his passport to go for an event. They found a tub with a letter in it, apparently written by Lucy. She said she only read part of the letter. Lucy's mother Stacey then called the police.

4:24pm

The jury members are shown the letter.

LIVE: School chiefs believed Lucy McHugh was 'vulnerable', court hears

 

[Tortoise]

4:24pm

The jury members are shown the letter. It includes the words "don't let mum and dad see".

LIVE: School chiefs believed Lucy McHugh was 'vulnerable', court hears

 

[Tortoise]

cough cough

 

[Tortoise]

4:27pm

The contents of letter has not been read out in the court, but the jury has been shown the letter.

LIVE: School chiefs believed Lucy McHugh was 'vulnerable', court hears

 

[Tortoise]

4:29pm

That finishes the evidence for today. She will be cross-examined by Mr Newton-Price tomorrow morning.

LIVE: School chiefs believed Lucy McHugh was 'vulnerable', court hears

 

[Alyce]

Thanks for all the updates Tortoise