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

[Alyce]

Mr Newton-Price asks if that is Nicholson on the bike.
He replies: "That's not me."
Nicholson tells the court that the shadow of the cyclist appears to show the cyclist wearing a cap. He also tells the court that the grey trainers the cyclist is seen wearing is different from his.



LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: Teenager's alleged killer to give evidence

 

[Alyce]

Mr Newton-Price asks about the period in which Nicholson's phone is inactive between 9am and around 10.45am.
He said while he was at his friend's house he was talking to him and cleaning up bags of rubbish.



LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: Teenager's alleged killer to give evidence

 

[Alyce]

1:02pm

The court now breaks for lunch. Nicholson will continue to give evidence when the trial resumes at 2pm.

 

[Alyce]

So, if I'm reading this right, the clear footage which shows SN on his bicycle is from Tuesday July 24

But the footage from Wednesday July 25 is just a blurred outline of a cyclist

 

[Alyce]

He told jurors on one morning in March 2018 Lucy had tried to push him down a flight of stairs and he subsequently sent a string of angry text messages to her mother.

He told the court he had been unaware of notes written by Lucy and conversations with her friends in which she described him as her "boyfriend".

"It was nonsense," he said.


Murder accused 'threatened to have girl beaten up'

 

[Tortoise]

I tried looking for times on some of the footage last week and I think I remember I could just about make out a 25 on one of them, but the bottom of the picture with the data was only partially visible.

 

[Alyce]

2:04pm
The trial resumes. Nicholson has returned to the witness box to continue giving evidence.

 

[Alyce]

The court is now shown CCTV of Nicholson cycling back from his friend's house. He is carrying a white Tesco bag.
Mr Newton-Price asks what is in the bag.

Nicholson replies that it is a box of trainers that were delivered to his friend's address that morning.

Nicholson is asked if he is carrying or concealing a blue hoodie, gloves or tracksuit bottoms. He replies "no".

Mr Newton-Price, Nicholson's defence barrister, asks if Nicholson went through Tanner's Brook.

He said "yes". Nicholson tells the court he had made a stop to sell some cannabis to "a male".

Nicholson is asked if he cycled along Bindon Road. A cyclist was seen on CCTV cycling along Bindon Road that morning.
He said he did not get to Tanner's Brook that way. He said he accessed it through a gate near to the Bridge and Tavern Pub.

Nicholson said he stopped near a footbridge, lit a cigarette and met the male who he sold cannabis to. He said the deal was either for £20 or £10.

Nicholson said that he did not know the person as they were not a regular client of his. He said he believed he arranged the deal via Snapchat either the night before or that morning.


LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: Teenager's alleged killer to give evidence

 

[Alyce]

am off to a meeting - will copy the remainder over later if no one else is around

 

[LittleMystery]

2:24pm

Mr Newton-Price asks about the clothes and gloves found at Tanner's Brook, which had DNA matching his and fibres linked to his clothing. He said he did not know why fibres of a blood-stained blue hoodie, found beside the river, were found inside his Superdry coat.

2:21pm

Nicholson said that he did not know the person as they were not a regular client of his. He said he believed he arranged the deal via Snapchat either the night before or that morning.

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: Teenager's alleged killer to give evidence

 

[LittleMystery]

2:25pm

Nicholson is asked if he knew how the items got there on July 25. He replied: "I do not know." He is asked if he knew how they got there between July 25 and August 30. He replied: "I do not know." Asked if he dumped them himself, he replies "no".

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: Teenager's alleged killer to give evidence

 

[LittleMystery]

2:27pm

Nicholson adds: "All I did there (Tanner's Brook) was light a cigarette and sell some weed."

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: Teenager's alleged killer to give evidence

 

[LittleMystery]

2:30pm

Nicholson said he later called Richard Elmes as he wanted to get his tools from the shed. He said while in the shed he tripped and hit his head on a shelf. He said he also ripped the sole of his grey trainers from the shoe.

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: Teenager's alleged killer to give evidence

Second pair of split shoes?

 

[LittleMystery]

2:32pm

Mr Newton-Price asks what Nicholson did with the trainers. Nicholson replies: "When I ended up doing the bonfire I ended up putting them on the bonfire."

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: Teenager's alleged killer to give evidence

 

[LittleMystery]

2:34pm

Mr Newton-Price now asks about the bonfire. He asks about searches on Nicholson's phone about bonfires and rules about them on that day. Nicholson tells the court when he previously held a bonfire a neighbour had "kicked-off" and he wanted to make sure this bonfire was "all above board".

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: Teenager's alleged killer to give evidence

 

[LittleMystery]

2:38pm

The court hears how Nicholson then went to Toolstation to buy a new blade for a jigsaw because he said the one in the shed was not adequate for what he wanted to do.

2:35pm

Nicholson confirms he took a note around to a neighbour warning them about the bonfire. He said: "I didn't want to cause any tension or upset with the neighbours."

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: Teenager's alleged killer to give evidence

 

[LittleMystery]

2:41pm

The court hears about Nicholson deleting apps of his phone on the day Lucy disappeared. He said he downloaded "a lot of games", which he would "play for a while and get bored of and delete them". He also deleted Samsung Fit - an application which can measure movement and heart rate. Nicholson said he had other similar applications.

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: Teenager's alleged killer to give evidence

 

[LittleMystery]

2:52pm

The court hears Nicholson was informed about the discovery of a body in the wooded area of the Sports Centre that morning.

2:49pm

The court hears Nicholson told Stacey, who was searching for Lucy, to "keep her chin up". He said he later received a call from Stacey. He said: "I just said what I had said to her in text message. I asked her if she was okay. and was trying to be a good friend."

2:45pm

The court now hears about text messages between him and Lucy's mother Stacey, following her disappearance.

2:44pm

Nicholson is asked about the bonfire. He said he burnt lots of items from the shed, including a bedframe. He confirms he also burnt his grey trainers.

2:41pm

The court hears about Nicholson deleting apps of his phone on the day Lucy disappeared. He said he downloaded "a lot of games", which he would "play for a while and get bored of and delete them". He also deleted Samsung Fit - an application which can measure movement and heart rate. Nicholson said he had other similar applications.

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: Teenager's alleged killer to give evidence

 

[LittleMystery]

2:54pm

He said he was also told that someone was seen arguing with Lucy at Mansel Park and that Stacey may have told the police it could have been him (Nicholson), because he and Lucy both lived in the area and because "we didn't get on".

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: Teenager's alleged killer to give evidence

 

[Tortoise]

2:30pm

Nicholson said he later called Richard Elmes as he wanted to get his tools from the shed. He said while in the shed he tripped and hit his head on a shelf. He said he also ripped the sole of his grey trainers from the shoe.

LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: Teenager's alleged killer to give evidence

Second pair of split shoes?

Yes.

I wonder what the relevance is of him explaining hitting his head, and if he had a bruise to explain. I don't recall any descriptions of defensive injuries on Lucy.