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

[Alyce]

It all seems to be coming to a close v soon. There doesnt seem to be much depth to some of the evidence somehow - hopefully it just seems this way due to reporting restrictions.

I did think there would be more Defence.

 

[Alyce]

2:19pm

Mrs Justice May has finished giving her legal directions. There will be a short break of between five and ten minutes, before Mr Mousley starts his closing speech.

 

[Alyce]

2:26pm

The jury returns. Mr Mousley will begin his closing speech.


LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: 'Witness believed she saw schoolgirl on day of disappearance'

 

[Elainera]

It all seems to be coming to a close v soon. There doesnt seem to be much depth to some of the evidence somehow - hopefully it just seems this way due to reporting restrictions.

I feel the same. Apart from the hoody about which he clearly lied I did not think the other evidence against him was very compelling. But then, neither was the defence's. Idk. I feel a bit confused to be honest. Hopefully we hear more later and it all makes more sense.

 

[Kasmeer]

Yeah I hope it's down to the reporting; on what we've heard, I think he probably did it, but they haven't proved it, at least not beyond all reasonable doubt. But the reporting is bound to have missed details, so hopefully it made more sense to the jury than it does to us here!

 

[Alyce]

I agree with you both - I think, on balance, he is guilty, but I could make an alternative case, based on the limited info we have been given.

 

[Alyce]

2.26pm

The jury returns. Mr Mousley will begin his closing speech.

He begins by describing Lucy's killing as "brutal" and "savage.

He tells the jury that the extent of Lucy's injuries showed that the person who killed Lucy intended to end her life.

Mr Mousley tells the court that Nicholson had been identified as a suspect 36 hours later, having been the last person in contact with Lucy - on the morning she disappeared.

Mr Mousley said police searched thousands of hours of CCTV throughout the area, but could not find a single image of Lucy. He said the police asked the public for help.

He discusses the account of the witnesses this morning, which he asks the jury to dismiss as a well-meaning mistake.

Mr Mousley tells the court that it is a "safe and sound conclusion that Lucy was killed the morning of July 25".

He adds: "It follows from that that Stephen Nicholson had the opportunity to kill her. He was in the right place at the right time."


LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: 'Witness believed she saw schoolgirl on day of disappearance'

 

[Alyce]

Mr Mousley tells the jury that Nicholson had a "dislike" for Lucy and describes the arguments between them.

He talks about Lucy's notes and diary entries that police found. He tells the court Nicholson "had a desire to silence Lucy".

Mr Mousley tells the court that Lucy was "vulnerable to exploitation".

He said: "She was someone who would be disbelieved if she claimed something. She was someone whose claims would not be taken seriously. She was someone who craved affection."

He tells the court: "For someone who had an interest in the sexual abuse of 12-year-old girls, to those people she was an easy, accessible and safe target. Nicholson was such a person."

Talking about the relationship between Nicholson and Lucy, he said: "She was silenced so that could never be said."



LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: 'Witness believed she saw schoolgirl on day of disappearance'

 

[Alyce]

Mr Mousley now tells the court about Nicholson's "suspicious behaviour" before and after the day Lucy disappeared.

He tells the jury that Nicholson called in sick with diarrhoea, giving him "the obligatory 48 hours off".

He adds: "But rather than rest up and begin feeling better, this person who was unable to work after midday of that day within an hour or two is peddling to his elderly friend's house. He is not giving the appearance to anyone of being unwell."

Mr Mousley adds: "What was he doing at his elderly friend's house for three hours? Ordering a pair of trainers? Perhaps his plan had already been hatched?"

Mr Mousley adds: "Perhaps he was there getting ready. He was aware that the cat was very shortly going to be out of the bag about he was getting up to."




LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: 'Witness believed she saw schoolgirl on day of disappearance'

 

[Alyce]

What was he doing at his elderly friend's house for three hours?

I thought he was staying here ?
He had been told to leave RE's house and presumably he still was not welcome at his mother's ?

 

[Tortoise]

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

There's this post about what he said he was doing there on the morning of the 25th.

 

[Alyce]

Mr Moulsey now tells the jury about Nicholson's "suspicious behaviour" after Lucy's disappearance, including the bonfire he held, in which he burnt his trainers.




LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: 'Witness believed she saw schoolgirl on day of disappearance'

 

[Tortoise]

I did think there would be more Defence.

I think most of their case has been based on challenging the crown's witnesses. I wonder if they're going to go with an 'RE did it' defence.

 

[Alyce]

Mr Mousley turns to the clothing found at Tanner's Brook.
He said: "Those clothes found on the banks of Tanner's Brook which had DNA links to Nicholson. Some of it is has devastatingly strong links to him. Others have less strong links, but there is still a link."


He now talks to the jury about Nicholson's explanation about his visit to Tanner's Brook, in which Nicholson claimed in a police interview in July that he did not visit Tanner's Brook.

Mr Mousley tells that the court that after the discovery of the bag of clothing, he said Nicholson gave a no comment interview in November.

He tells the jury that Nicholson told them during the trial that he was there to do a drug deal.

Mr Mousley said: "He lied to the police and he has lied to you in court. His behaviour was cocky in his July interview and he was mocking the police for treating him as a suspect. There was a deafening silence when he was presented with evidence in November."





LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: 'Witness believed she saw schoolgirl on day of disappearance'

 

[Alyce]

deleted

 

[Alyce]

Mr Mousley adds: "Let's look at the picture.
Nicholson had a motive to silence Lucy and an interest in underage sex. His suspicious behaviour before and after. His lies in the interview. His failure to mention his police interview that he had stopped in Tanner's Brook."

Mr Mousley tells the jury: "Although he will will never say it he hints at the fact that someone else did it and he hints that it was someone else who lived with Lucy or someone with links to his (Nicholson's) friend (at Dunkirk Road). Not him, someone else."

Mr Mousley adds: "To him, he is an innocent man who has had just about every piece or bit of bad luck that you could imagine. So that every piece of the jigsaw fits together to leave a clear picture of guilty."



LIVE: Lucy McHugh murder trial: 'Witness believed she saw schoolgirl on day of disappearance'

 

[Alyce]

or someone with links to his (Nicholson's) friend (at Dunkirk Road).



Interesting

 

[Tortoise]

Nicholson had a motive to silence Lucy and an interest in underage sex. His suspicious behaviour before and after. His lies in the interview. His failure to mention his police interview that he had stopped in Tanner's Brook."

Mr Mousley tells the jury: "Although he will will never say it he hints at the fact that someone else did it and he hints that it was someone else who lived with Lucy or someone with links to his (Nicholson's) friend (at Dunkirk Road). Not him, someone else."

RSBM & BBM

1. Are they saying his "interest in underage sex" was proven by what he did when he was 18?

2. I wonder if this is where the hoodie came from. I don't remember reference to anything being linked to Dunkirk Road.

 

[Alyce]

4:20pm


Mr Mousley finishes: "Our case makes it clear what happened and that he, Stephen Nicholson, is the person responsible for taking the life of a 13-year-old girl in the fashion that he did in those woods. He did so, because to him, she had to be silenced."

 

[Blondiexoxo]

From what evidence we have heard it doesn’t seem that the prosecution have proved this case beyond reasonable doubt. Sadly imo

 

[Alyce]

4:21pm

That concludes today's evidence.
Nicholson's defence barrister James Newton-Price QC will give his closing speech tomorrow.