Key Events So Far 28 mins ago “Arrest” 4 hours ago Witnesses horrifying discovery 4 hours ago Prosecution opening concludes 5 hours ago “Mum I’ve murdered her, she’s dead.” 16:27 “She’s been strangled, he did it”
The next officer, PC Joseph McNally, will be called as a live witness.
He is sworn in by the usher.
He is from Widnes Police Station, part of Cheshire Constabulary.
Mr Medland asks about the events of Friday April 29, around 5pm.
He said he and PC Stockelle arrived at the same time.
“We tried to open the door, but it was locked. We knocked again, and said open the door, and a male voice shouted its unlocked, its unlocked. Then we heard the sound of a lock being unlocked.”
Mr Medland asked what happened next
PC McNally said: “Between myself and PC Stockelle we had to forced the door open. We could see Kelsey on the floor, her feet must have been up against the door stopping is coming in.”
Mr Medland is talking the officer through a plan of the flat.
He points on a plan of the flat to the area where Kelsey
s body was lying.
He says Kelseys body was lying with her head pointing towards the bedrooms.
PC McNally performed chest compressions for “quite a number of minutes” while PC Stockelle handcuffed Wilcocks.
Mr MEdland: “Did you speak to the defendant?”
PC McNally: “Yes I did, I literally just wanted some indication as to what had happened to assist me to pass on to the control room, and to tell the paramedics. He said, she has been strangled, it was him.”
That concludes Mr Medlands evidence.
Mr Evans asked about a difference between the officers notebook and his statement.
He says the notebook read: “There was also a male present at the address, saying he was extremely agitated crying, he was hysterical and he was not making much sense.”
PC McNally: “My priority was on Kelsey, not on making notes, but I can remember he was crying.”
That concludes Mr Evans cross examination.
Mr Justice Holroyde asks PC McNally to confirm that he and PC Stockelle arrived in separate vehicles.
PC McNally says they did, and parked directly outside the flat.
That concludes his evidence.
The jury have been dismissed.
Mr Medland says he believed the defendant will take to the stand at some point tomorrow.
That concludes todays proceedings, and the court will resume at 10am.
16:14 “I’m not a murderer”
PC Stockelle stayed in the living room with Wilcocks while the paramedics and the other officers worked on Kelsey.
There was a lot of activity in the flat, while the paramedics were working to save Kelseys life.
“He was very distressed and was asking if the female was alive. He kept saying he had a child with her and they had been together five years.”
PC Stockelle says Wilcocks was taken to Runcorn custody suite and booked in.
The next statement is from a PC Lee Connor.
He was also called to the address, but after the arrival of PC Stockelle and PC McNally.
He says he found a “young, blonde female lying lifeless on the floor. Her lips were blue and her eyes were wide open.
“She was lying with her feet towards the end of the corridor.”
Wilcocks was lying face down, with his hands in cuffs.
He says PC McNally was performing CPR on Kelsey, with which he assisted.
He was asked by paramedics what Kelseys name was, and got the information from Wilcocks.
He was asked by paramedics what had happened.
He went and asked Wilcocks what has happened.
He replied: “It wasnt me lad, Im a scouser not a murderer, Im a scouser like you lad.”
The officer replied “What has happened.”
He said: “He did it lad, he climbed through the window and strangled her. Im no murderer lad.”
16:04 Key event “Arrest”
Mr Medland will now read further witness statements.
The statements are from officers who arrived at the scene.
The first is from PC Andrew Stockelle.
He says he received instructions to go to a “grade 1 emergency” at Foundry Lane.
He says he and a colleague, PC McNally, approached the block of flats and pressed “all the buzzers” to gain access.
He says they tried to open the door but got no response.
The officers banged loudly and said: “Open the door its the police.”
A male answered saying “Its unlocked.”
He says he noticed a male stood in the corridor, with a woman lying on the floor.
He said she had blue, almost black lips and had foam around her mouth.
Wilcocks began lying on the floor, while PC McNally checked on the victim.
She was lying against the door, preventing it from fully opening.
PC Stockelle placed Wilcocks in handcuffs while PC McNally attempted to perform CPR on Kelsey.
Paramedics arrived at the scene and entered the flat.
“I asked Wilcocks what had happened. He said shes been strangled, he then said shes been strangled, he strangled her.
“I asked who strangled her, and he said I cant say, I cant say, he was very upset.
“He kept asking is she back, is she back?”
15:53 Court cleared briefly
The court is again cleared briefly while Mrs Wilcocks leaves.
We are back in the courtroom.
Mr Justice Holroyde has returned and the jury are taking their seats
15:38 “He sounded like a wounded animal”
Mrs Wilcocks said her son became frustrated after the birth of his child because he could not see her whenever he wanted.
The baby was living with Kelsey and her mum, and her mums address.
Mrs Wilcocks says her son once threatened to kill himself by a river bank, and her and Kelsey had attempted to get in touch.
Mr Evans: “Did the fact that Kelsey was seeing other men upset him?”
Mrs Wilcocks: “Of course it did.”
Mr Evans reads a statement from Mrs Wilcocks to a police officer saying: “He loves the bones of Kelsey, she must have provoked him. She was cheating on him, and rubbing his nose in it.”
She says she does not remember saying this.
Mrs Wilcocks describes her sons call after Kelseys death.
“He sounded like a wounded animal, I have never heard anyone like that before, he couldnt talk.”
That concludes Mr Evans questioning.
15:35 Defendant served time for attacking victim before
Ms Wilcocks: “I just felt sick, I felt like I was going to faint, I couldnt believe it.”
Mr MEdland: “What point did he say he didnt mean it?”
Ms Wilcocks: “During that call. He said that to me.”
Mr Medland: “So he said he killed Kelsey, he said he murdered her, you thought he meant he had given her a good hiding, and he said to you didnt mean it?”
Ms Wilcocks: “Yes.”
That concludes Mr Medlands questioning. Mr Evans will now ask her some questions.
“He has been a problem at home hasnt he? There have been occasions when you have had to call the police to deal with him, because to use the vernacular he has kicked off?”
Ms Wilcocks agrees. She also confirms that he twice threatened to kill himself.
Mr Evans reads a police log from 2008, in which Ms Wilcocks rang police to say her son had threatened to kill himself.
He asks: “What was that about?”
Ms Wilcocks: “He was on the house phone arguing with Kelsey. He said his head was in a mess and he was going to kill himself.”
The defendant had been treated at Whiston Hospital, and told to see his GP. In August the same year the defendants dad called the police to say his son was “kicking off.”
In September Ms Wilcocks called police due to an argument with her son, who threw the house phones around after she told him to get off the phone.
Mr Evans refers to an incident in primary school, in which Wilcocks was expelled from school for cutting a girls hair in an argument.
He says there were similar problems in high school, when the defendant would regularly throw furniture around and be asked to leave.
He was not allowed back into mainstream education and sent to a special unit in Childwall.
Mr Evans says he was eventually allowed back into mainstream education towards the end of his school years.
Mr Evans: “He was also, and still is, a young man who has got into trouble with the police.”
He confirms his client has served time in prison, and took drugs and drank to excess.
Ms Wilcocks: “He didnt drink to excess all the time.”
She confirmed he would do on occasion. She says she took him to the doctors after finding him using cannabis.
The jury hears the defendant met the victim when they were 13 and 14 respectively.
Mr Evans suggests that they were seeing other partners while they were together, and had arguments which were “patched up.”
“Its often said by wiser heads, some people cant live with each other, and cant live without each other, is that fair to say?”
Ms Wilcocks: “They couldnt keep away from each other for too long.”
Mr Evans says Wilcocks served time in prison for attacking Kelsey.
Ms Wilcocks: “Yes, he imprisoned her and he burned her.”
However the pair made up after they left prison. Ms Wilcocks: “They used to fight like cat and dog.”
15:22 Defendant’s mum in witness box
The screen has been erected for Mrs Wilcocks.
Members of the jury are taking their seats.
Ms Wilcocks is being sworn in.
She confirms she is the defendants mother, and she knows he has admitted strangling his girlfriend to death.
Mr MedlandL “How would you describe their relationship in the years it has been going on?”
Ms WIlcocks: “I dont know what to say.”
She sounds tearful from behind the screen.
Mr Medland asks again.
She says: “In my statement I said it was fiery, they used to fight with each other a lot.”
She confirms “sometimes they were together, sometimes they were apart.”
Ms Wilcocks: “They used to argue, they used to physically fight sometimes, push each other. But it was in a childish way, they were just kids. It was immature the body language, the behaviour of them. It was immature.”
She is asked about the day of Kelseys death.
Mr Medland asks about a phone call, which she confirms was Callum.
“He said a lot of things. He said Kelseys dead, he was hysterical, he was not calm.”
Mr Medland: “Did he say how she had died?”
Mrs Wilcocks: “Not to me no, my son Christopher took the phone off me, I was in too much shock.”
Mr Medland asks how she found out.
Mrs Wilcocks: “Christopher said he had strangled her, but he also said he didnt mean it, I said that in my statement but they left it out.”
Mr Medland asks what she told Callum.
Mrs Wilcocks: “I asked him to call an ambulance, I said what are you ringing her for? call and ambulance.”
Mr Medland reads through her statement to police.
She said: “I thought he must be making it up because he was round the bend or drunk or something.”
Mr Medland asks what he said.
Mrs Wilcocks: “He said he had murdered her, I thought he meant he had given her a good hiding because thats what they would say, I will murder you.”
She says he told her he was at the back of The Gold Mine pub, which she took to believe meant he was actually at the pub, rather than in nearby flats.
15:05 Tension outside court
The court has been cleared for five minutes while screens are put up for the next witness.
There is some tension outside court as relatives of the defendant and victim argue.
They are told to calm down by representatives from witness services.
15:04 Statement of defendant's father
Mr Medland will now read the statement of Christopher Paul Wilcocks, the defendants father.
Mr Wilcocks, who is a bus driver, told police he lives with his sons Callum and Chris.
He says on Friday 29, he had been in bed sleeping off a hangover, from a celebration the previous night.
He says around 4pm, he received a call on his mobile from a withheld number, which he ignored.
He says a short time later another call came in from a withheld number, which his wife Toni answered.
He says he could hear Callum on the line.
The statement said: “Toni turned to me in shock, telling me he is saying hes killed Kelsey.”
He says his other son Chris took the phone and asked if he had hit her, but was told “no, I have strangled her.
Mr Wilcocks says he drove to the flats with Toni Wilcocks and Chris Wilcocks, but the police had already arrived.
Mr Medland says Mrs Wilcocks will now be called to give evidence in person
15:04 Cross examination
Mr Evans asks her to clarify that she heard a man and a woman arguing.
He suggests the woman seemed to be doing more of the shouting than the man.
Ms Shelvin agrees.
He suggests that the male voice was upset and crying.
Ms Shelvin agrees.
That concludes Ms Shelvins evidence.
15:04 Next witness
Mr Medland has now called the next live witness, Joanne Shelvin, who was living underneath the flat rented by Ms McDonald.
She says on the night of the incident, she could hear arguing between a male and a female from the flat upstairs.
Mr Medland asks if they were sober or drunk.
Ms Shelvin: “I assumed they were drunk.”
She says this happened on and off during the night.
She says the following day she had been out until around 3pm, watching the royal wedding.
Ms Shelvin says she had not heard any arguing that morning.
She says: “I was sitting watching the telly I was aware of what I thought was the girl that lived there outside standing outside my window, speaking on the phone. I couldnt hear anything she was saying but, I saw her go back up then I heard a male voice what I thought was arguing, and they I saw her walking back down the road on her phone.”
Ms Shelvin says she thought the males voice sounded angry.
Mr Medland asks what happened next
“I went into the kitchen around 10 to 15 minutes later, and I heard a really upset male voice, it sounded directly above where I was in the kitchen.
“I heard the words mum, and he didnt mean to do it, and her to listen mum, thats all I could make out.”
She says the police came around 10, 15 minutes later, and rang the buzzer.
That concludes Mr Medlands questions.
14:45 “He told me he killed her”
Mr Medland is now reading the statement of a woman called Michaela Ross, who is a friend of Ms McDonald.
She says she arrived home that day and found Ms McDonald on her drive way unexpectedly.
Ms McDonald was shaking and crying, saying “hes killed her, hes killed her, in my flat.”
Ms Ross said her friend phoned her mother and became very upset while trying to explain what happened.
Ms McDonald said: ““No he told me he killed her, I saw her arm flop.”
Ms Ross said her friend was in shock and “drifting in and out of sense.”
Police officers arrived at the address shortly after.
Further evidence
Mr Medland is now reading the statement of Rose Turner, who picked Beccy McDonald up from her flat the following day.
At approximately 4pm, she drove to Beccys flat, and saw her leave the premises with her baby son.
They arrived at Beccys mums at 4.15pm, where the baby was dropped off.
On the way back they stopped at the Co-op, where Ms McDonald realised £200 rent money was missing from her account, and explained she had given Kelsey Shaw her bank card the previous night.
She rang Kelsey and said that Kelsey was “sobbing” down the phone, but that she thought this was because of the missing money.
Ms Turner returned to Foundry Lane and then drove away.
She says she received three calls off Beccy saying she could not get into the flat.
The last call she appeared very upset and said Callum Wilcocks had killed Kelsey in the flat.
She says she later returned to the flat with a friend to find out what had gone on.
14:28 Proceedings back underway
Mr Justice Holroyde is back in the courtroom, and the members of the jury are returning to their seats.
Mr Medland is preparing to read statements from other witnesses, whose evidence is agreed between the prosecution and the defence, meaning they do not need to give evidence in person.
He is reading the statement of taxi driver Kamaru Arowolo, who picked up the defendant and his brother Chris Wilcocks from the flat in Foundry Lane, at around midnight on April 29.
“One of the males looked like he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol due to the way he was talking.”
Mr Arowolo says he had a clear, unobstructed view of the men for around 45 minutes.
He says he was told to drive to Speke, while one of the males was on the phone to somebody asking him where they were.
However they could not find this person.
The court heard Callum Wilcocks turned to his brother and said he was going back to his girlfriends.
Chris Wilcocks was dropped off but did not pay, claiming he was going into the flat to get money but would return.
He said he beeped the horn and tried to call the defendant, who did not return.
He says he was told by his taxi company to call the police.
Mr Medland is now reading the statement of a second taxi driver, whose name I didnt quite catch.
He says he took Callum McDonald and Kelsey Shaw to an all night garage at 3.10am on Friday April 29.
They were taken to an all night BP garage in Halewood.
He said they both used an ATM machine in Hale Bank, before heading on to the garage.
Kelsey stayed in the taxi, while Wilcocks got out and bought a bottle of vodka.
The taxi driver said he got uneasy and asked them to pay up front.
He returned them to the ATM in Hale Bank, but thought they were “preparing to do a runner.”
However Wilcocks gave him £30, and they returned to Foundry Lane.
He says he received a call saying there had been a mobile phone left in the back of the car, and the male would pay for his time to return.
“From my experience as a taxi driver I would say the male and female were under the influence of cocaine and alcohol.”
The court heard he later recognised the pair from an article in the Echo, and contacted police.
13:10 Jonathan Humphries Ms McDonald completes evidence
Mr Evans asks about her impression of the relationship.
She says: “I am not sure.”
That concludes Mr Evans cross examination.
Mr Medland rises, and asks Ms McDonald to clarify the statement about the victim becoming angry about the defendant going on facebook.
She says: “Yeah Callum would not allow her to go on facebook, and when I saw him on it I would tell her and she became irate because he was on it.”
Mr Justice Holroyde asks about the distance between her mothers and the flat.
He asks what the time was she was gone from leaving the flat with Rose Turner, to returning and confronting Wilcocks.
She claims around 25 to 30 minutes.
Mr Evans has been instructed to ask another question by his client.
Mr Evans: “He suggests he never said “f*** Kelsey when he asked her on a date that night, and that you were quite receptive?”
Ms McDonald: “No, I am very clear on that.”
That concludes Ms McDonalds evidence
The jury had been dismissed until 2.10pm.
13:10 Jonathan Humphries Defence questions witness on “state of aggression”
Mr Evans suggests Ms McDonald never expected Wilcocks to harm Kelsey, and that she expected them to get out of her flat after she left with Ms Turner.
Mr Evans: “When you got back you heard a noise that you thought was someone having sexual intercourse, and that annoyed you because you thought they were going to get out of the flat?”
She agrees.
He asks if Wilcocks became erratic.
Ms McDonald says only when he told her he had killed Kelsey.
He reads from the transcript of a 999 call made by Ms McDonald, in which she says “he was shouting that she was dead.”
He says she told a police officer that Callum Wilcocks was in upset and in an “aggressive state.”
Mr Evans asks her to clarify when this was.
She says only when he started shouting that Kelsey was dead.
Mr Evans refers to a statement made by Ms Wilcocks, in which she claimed Callum started “getting nasty” and screaming at her to “get off the phone to her mum.
He asks “Nowhere there does it suggest he was angry one minute and then calm the next?”
Ms McDonald says: “No its just that I have worded it differently.”
Mr Evans presses the point that she said “Callum turned nasty”” before she finished the call to her mum.
He suggests this shows that there was “no gap” between him being calm and becoming angry.
Ms McDonald: “No that is incorrect.”
He asks about a response to the question; was anybody drunk? Asked by a police officer.
She replied at the time: “Kelsey was drunk, but Callum wasnt, he was dead calm the entire night.”
She says she cannot remember that question.
Mr Evans: “Is it your evidence that at one stage he was calm, and then the next he was shouting and screaming?”
Ms McDonald agrees.
Mr Evans asked about what Callum said when he rang her back, when Ms McDonald phoned Kelsey to ask about the missing money.
She says she cannot remember.
Mr Evans: “Did you ever get the impression that Callum was jealous of you, jealous of the time you got to spend with Kelsey?”
Ms McDonald: “Yes, thats just my opinion.”
12:48 Jonathan Humphries Cross-examination
Gareth Evans, QC, defending, is now asking Ms McDonald about the night before Kelseys death.
He asks her to confirm that a small amount of cocaine was taken.
“During that night would it be fair to say, with one exception, just bickering between the two of them about the fact they had each cheated on each other?”
Ms McDonald: “Yes.”
Mr Evans “And you as the wiser head were just saying come on, get over it?”
She agrees.
Mr Evans refers to the argument about her friend Rose Turner, who Wilcocks claimed was a grass.
He asks Ms McDonald if he stormed off “in a huff” when they “poo pooed” this claim.
She agrees, repeating that he returned five minutes later completely calm, as if nothing had happened.
Mr Evans asks her to confirm that she tried to tell the police the truth.
He reads from the statement: “I dont know much about the history of their relationship, but they do argue a lot, it tends to be her having a go at him. She doesnt like him going on facebook and she screams at him.
“She loves Callum, he loves her, in fact he idolised her.”
Ms McDonald said: “I would say he was possessive, or more obsessive.”
She admits she had only heard Kelseys side of the story.
12:43 Jonathan Humphries Wilcocks was not “drunk” or “high”
Mr Medland asks Ms McDonald about police witness statements she provided.
Mr Medland says the police asked if Kelsey had “had a go” at Wilcocks over a relationship he had with her cousin.
Ms McDonald said: “It was just point-scoring, it was just bickering, just pettiness between the two of them.”
Mr Medland: “As far as cocaine is concerned, you said the four of you shared some of it when Wilcocks arrived, did you have any other cocaine that night?”
Ms McDonald: “No.”
Mr Medland said police put to her that Wilcocks claimed to have been drinking vodka and snorting cocaine in the morning leading up to Kelseys death.
Ms McDonald: “No that is incorrect, he was in my presence the whole day.”
Mr Medland asks: “How drunk was he, how high was he?”
Ms McDonald: “He was fine, he was not slurring his words and he was not acting all erratic. We just had normal conversation. Me and Kelsey had a little dance and they were play fighting on one occasion.”
That concludes Mr Medlands questions.
“He’s killed her in my flat” Jonathan Humphries
Mr Medland asks Ms McDonald to point out on the photo where she saw Kelseys arm.
Mr Medland: “Where was Wilcocks when you did that?”
Ms McDonald: “I couldnt see him, I could hear him. He was very close to Kelsey.”
Mr Medland asks her to talk through more pictures of inside the flat.
The pictures show bottles of alcohol and ashtrays filled with cigarettes, from the gathering the night before Kelseys death.
Mr Medland asks her to say what happened after Ms McDonald saw Kelseys hand.
Ms McDonald: “The door got slammed back in my face again. I then went downstairs to make a call to my mum to say I think hes hurt her. Her arm was flopped to the back of the door, I cant recall the last time I spoke to her.
“My mum sent me back upstairs to see if she was ok, I was still on the phone to my mum. He must have heard me, because he said very calmly, put the phone down Bec. He then became very erratic, saying are you listening, are you f****** listening to me?”
“Then he started saying shes dead, but after that had happened I run, thinking he was going to do something to me. The very first thing i did was ring my mum, I said hes killed her in my flat.”
She says her mum told her to call 999.
Ms McDonald ran to the property of a Sarah Ross, who lived nearby.
She says she called the police as she was on my way.
She told the 999 operator: “Send someone quick because hes going to kill me too.”
Ms McDonald says the police arrived a short time later.
12:27 Jonathan Humphries Witnesses horrifying discovery
Ms McDonald says she arrived outside the flat, and could see Wilcocks in the living room window,
She says she spoke to him on the phone and he said “is that you outside.”
Ms McDonald: “I tried to get inside my flat but Callum Wilcocks kept me out.”
SHe says she heard Wilcocks undo the lock from the inside, but still couldnt get in.
“I heard heavy breathing behind the door, and I assumed they were having sexual intercourse behind the door. I became very irritated, and was banging on the door and ringing family members.
“The heavy breathing stopped but I could hear Calum saying just give me a minute, just hold on a minute there.”
She says Wilcocks sounded “very calm” but she realised something was wrong when she tried to speak to Kelsey but she would not reply.
She says she threatened Wilcocks, and became very angry.
Mr Medland: “What happened next?”
Ms McDonald: “A neighbour came down from above. I asked for a light and explained I could not get in. I rang my mum, my nan and my friend saying I could not get in the property.
“I hadnt tried the door for a while so I tried it again and Kelseys arm flopped down. I could see from that she was in an awkward position behind the door.”
Mr Medland asks her to look at a picture of the outside of her former flat.
12:27 Jonathan Humphries Final phone call
Mr Medland: “What happened next?”
Ms McDonald “Chris and Callum left the property, but Callum came back on his own. We carried on having a drink and had some music on, it wasnt loud because my little boy was in bed. We had a bit of a drink together, it wasnt anything rowdy.”
Mr Medland: “How did the evening go on?”
Ms McDonald: “Callum and Kelsey had split up, Callum had gone behind her back.”
She says it was being brought up several times.
She says“There wasnt much of an atmosphere, they was just bickering, just like point scoring, like saying you went with so-and-so.”
The jury hears Callum and Kelsey left the property about 3am to go to an all night garage.
She says she stayed in the flat, but she gave Kelsey her credit card and texted her the pin number so they could buy cigarettes and WKD.
She says she expected them to spend around £15.
They returned shortly after and “carried on as normal.”
Mr Medland: “By that stage how were they behaving?”
Ms McDonald: “They were fine, just play fighting.”
She says she fell asleep on the couch, with her son in the cot in the same room.
The jury hears that the defendant and the victim went to bed together in her room, which had a double bed.
She says she awoke around 9am, when her son woke up.
Callum Wilcocks then walked into the living room a short time later.
Mr Medland asked her to describe his behaviour.
Ms McDonald: “He was perfectly fine, he even sat and played with my son. I just put the telly on, he was not acting strangely in any way.”
Mr MEdland: “When you and Callum were with each that morning, can you explain what he said or did towards you?”
Ms McDonald: “He asked if he could take me out, bearing in mind Kelsey was asleep in bed, I said no certainly not and said he should appreciate Kelsey, and his reply was “f*** her.”
A short time later Ms McDonald said she walked into her bedroom and spoke to Kelsey, describing Kate Middletons wedding dress from the coverage of the royal wedding.
Later Ms McDonald said she was going to her mums, via a lift from a friend named Rose Turner.
She says: “Kelsey would have come too but Callum kicked up a fuss because he didn;t know Rose.”
The court hears Kelsey wanted to call a taxi, but Callum refused.
She said they had a discussion in which Wilcocks said Ms Turner had written something on Facebook, but the two women disputed this.
She says Wilcocks walked off down the road but came back around five minutes later “like nothing had happened.”
Mr Medland asks what Ms McDonald did next.
She says she got in her friends car with her son, and went to a shopping centre to check her account, finding around £180 had been taken.
She called Kelseys phone but Callum answered, before putting the phone down.
Ms McDonald: “It answered again and I could hear Kelsey crying, saying something like what do you mean, but I dont know if that was to me.”
She says she returned to the property in her friends car.
Mr Medland: “Did you speak to her again?”
Ms McDonald: “No I never heard from her, ever again.”
Mr Medland asks how long the call was in which she could hear Kelsey.
The jury says around eight seconds.
12:18 Jonathan Humphries Witness who discovered Kelsey had been murdered gives evidence
Mr Justice Holroyde has re-entered the court.
We will now hear from the first witness, Beccy McDonald.
She will be answering questions from behind a screen.
The members of the jury are taking their seats.
She is sworn in.
Mr Medland asks her to give her address at the time of Kelseys death.
She lived there with her young son, who was around 10 months old at the time.
She says she had known Kelsey for a “couple of months” through a college course.
The weekend of the incident was a long bank holiday weekend, due to the royal wedding.
Kelsey came round to Ms McDonalds flat at around midday to get her hair done, and the pair “made a bit of a do out of it.”
The pair drank blue WKD (an alcopop) during the day.
“Callum started texting Kelsey, she didnt tell me she was texting him at the time, then she asked if it was ok if Callum and his brother Chris came round.”
She knew Chris Wilcocks, but had only met the defendant on one occasion.
Ms McDonald says Kelsey did not speak about the relationship much, but she knew they had a daughter together.
Ms McDonald: “I didnt want him to come really, only because of a previous occasion at another property where my window got smashed, and I knew it was him.
“He said he wanted to come round an explain it wasnt him, he knew who had done it, he knew it had been smashed with a hammer and where the hammer was.”
The Wilcocks brothers around shortly after 10pm.
Mr Medland asks how much the two women had to drink.
Ms McDonald: “We were fine, we had only had one bottle of WKD. I just went to the Co-op to get another bottle.”
The brothers had brought a large bottle of vodka, around a litre and a half, and cocaine.
She says the cocaine was a “small amount” but was shared between the group.
“at that stage, how were Callum and Kelsey getting on with each other at that point?”
Ms McDonald: “Perfectly fine.”
She says the full bottle of vodka was not drunk, as there was still some left the following day.
She says the brothers left the property around midnight.
“Callum said he was going to get money off his mum and dad.”
11:36 Jonathan Humphries Prosecution opening concludes
Mr Medland talks the jury through some documents they will need to refer to later in the trial.
He tells the jury: “We submit that he may have well have been at his own hand drunk and had taken drugs but that in no way excuses what he has done, nor, we submit with respect, is there any proper basis for reducing his culpability down to manslaughter from the harsh reality of this case, which is murder.”
That concludes the prosecution opening.
The jury has been allowed a short break.
11:32 Jonathan Humphries “It wasn’t me, he climbed through the window”
The court heard emergency services attended the flat around 4.57pm.
They did their best to resuscitate Kelsey but to no avail.
She was rushed to Whiston Hospital and arrived around 6pm.
Mr Medland says: “Again the doctors at the hospital did their best to investigate whether they could do any more for her but the injuries inflicted on her by the defendant meant that their efforts were not successful, and so life support was withdrawn and she was formally declared dead at 11.35pm on April 30, 2011.”
Police attended the flat and the defendant said: “”Shes been strangled, it was him” and “shes been strangled, he strangled her.”
Mr Medland said “He was very distressed, but he embroidered the lie somewhat saying, it wasnt me, he strangled her he climbed through the window.”
The court hears Wilcocks talked to the officers about his relationship and where in the flat they had sex.
He said they had been drinking vodka and had taken cocaine.
He told officers she had been dead for around an hour in the flat, and about events leading up to the killing, and showed an interest in the likely press coverage.
Mr Medland said: “The defendant was interviewed by the police over long periods. He managed to answer all the questions without difficulty and coped well with the process. He was assisted by a solicitor and his sister.
“He needed no medical assistance and gave a clear and rational account which was logical and detailed.
“No suggestion was made that he was so ill he could not continue or could not cope.
“He claimed to have been off his head on alcohol and coke.”
The jury hears an account of what Wilcocks said in interview: “I just put my arm around her like, and I just squeezed her dead hard, then she went unconscious and like went on the floor
and I looked at her and I thought I cant do it, and I opened her mouth and she groaned and she woke up within 10 seconds, then she shouted dont do this to me..
“she hugged me as she does, she just give me s*** again, as she is. So I put my arm around her neck and pulled it tight and within 10 seconds she was unconscious on the floor and I just held her neck, she just died.”
11:18 Jonathan Humphries "Mum I’ve murdered her, she’s dead.”
The court hears the defendant, Ms McDonald and Kelsey all spent a “happy enough time” in the flat the following morning.
The group watched the Royal Wedding between Prince WIlliam and Kate MIddleton.
Beccy McDonald was repeatedly propositioned by the defendant, asking her out on a date.
Mr Medland says: “She told him in no uncertain terms she was not interested and told him he needed to appreciate what he already had in Kelsey.
“His response was perhaps indicative of how little he cared about Kelsey. F*** her, he said:”
Later Beccy left the flat and realised her money had been stolen.
She rang Kelsey four times, but when Kelsey rang her back she was crying and Miss McDonald could not understand what she was saying.
“Little could Beccy have known that the reason for Kelseys tears and the reason why she couldnt get through to her again was because the defendant was in the process of strangling Kelsey to death.”
She returned to the flat but couldnt get in.
“She could hear heavy breathing and a faint knocking sound behind the door at its hinge end. She heard nothing from Kelsey but could heard the defendant saying things like gizza minute hang on, wait there. He sounded quite calm.
“He was at that period, we say, that he was finishing Kelsey off, choking the life out of her.”
The defendant kept Miss McDonald out of the flat for around 40 minutes until she threatened to call the police.
The defendant replied either “I want you to, for Kelsey” or “Dont, for Kelsey”, Ms McDonald was not sure which.
She managed to shove the door open a little and saw Kelseys arm flopped on the floor, palm upwards.
She ran downstairs and phoned her mum.
She then ran back up and said: “Is she alright?”
The defendant said: “Just give us a minute”
Ms McDonald then said: “Are you f***** listening?”
Wilcocks replied: “She;s dead, shes f***** dead, Ive killed her.”
The defendant later called his mother to say he was at a pub called the Gold Mine and admitted killing Kelsey.
He said: “Mum Ive killed Kelsey Mum Ive murdered her, shes dead.”
11:07 Jonathan Humphries Evidence
The court hears Kelsey was murdered in a flat owned by Kelseys friend Beccy McDonald.
Mr MEdland “Kelsey and the defendant had a difficult relationship. They had a daughter between them, aged three, but their relationship was described to police by the defendants mother as fiery. Sometimes they would split up and get back together.”
On April 29, 2011, Kelsey and Miss McDonald were in the flat, where Kelsey was applying peroxide to her friends hair.
Miss McDonald did not really know Wilcocks at that time.
It became apparent that Callum Wilcocks wanted to come round with his brother, Chris Wilcocks.
She was not keen because she suspected Callum Wilcocks had been responsible (wrongly) for damaging her window.
However she relented and the pair also attended with a large bottle of vodka and a £30 deal of cocaine.
Mr Medland says the four all drank and took cocaine.
He said: “Kelsey and Callum were talking together about the people the had been seeing while their relationship had stalled. There is no suggestion that Rebecca detected any great emotional heat or anger between them while they made these revelations.”
Chris and Callum Wilcocks later left in a taxi driven by Kamaru Arowolo at around 12.50am.
He described the defendant as “more authoritative” and claimed he went to “score some drugs.”
They also failed to pay the £20 fayre.
The defendant returned to the flat at around 1,25am.
Kelsey and the defendant left to go to an all night garage for some cigarettes, taking Beccy McDonalds debit card.
The defendant stole £200 from her account before returning to the flat.
Kelsey and the defendant then went to bed together.
11:02 Jonathan Humphries “Hollow claims”
Mr Medland says Wilcocks claims to be suffering from mental illness to the point it substantially diminished his responsibility, or that he lost his self control for a “good, recognised” reason, are “hollow claims.”
Mr Medland says that the claims are similar to lies told by Wilcocks when he was first arrested, that someone else must have broke in and killed Kelsey.
“We submit these claims are little more than attempts by him to avoid the truth about the dreadful and fatal consequences of his own deliberate acts.”
11:02 Jonathan Humphries Injuries
Mr Medland tells the jury Kelsey “bore the classic signs” of being strangled.
She had numerous petechial (Ie pin-point) haemorrhages on her face, ears and mouth, and bruises under the skin on her neck area.
There was also traumatic disturbance to important structures deep inside the neck, the thyroid horn and cricoid cartilage, including microscopic fracturing.
There was also traumatic disturbance to important structures deep inside the neck, the thyroid horn and cricoid cartilage, including microscopic fracturing.
He says a pathologist described these injuries as characteristic of a “forceful neck compression”, which would need a minimum of around 15-20 seconds neck compression.
He says the injuries suggest the internal structures have been “crushed” during the assault.
He says the injuries suggest the internal structures have been “crushed” during the assault.
Mr Medland: “That having been done to her, Kelseys heart shut down because of the assault on her by the defendant, and, there being no circulation of the blood, her brain suffered irreversible damage too.
“We submit that this shows a picture of forceful, prolonged and we suggest quite deliberate assault on that slim, small 17-year-old who was only about 5 foot 1 and weighed only about eight stone five.”
10:56 Jonathan Humphries Trial begins
Mr Medland begins to address the jury.
He will open the case and outline the prosecution argument.
Mr Medland: “This case concerns the murder of a 17-year-old girl, Kelsey Shaw. Kelsey was strangled, not once but twice, by her boyfriend, this defendant.
“There can be no doubting those facts – Mr Wilcocks admits as much. But he denies that he has murdered Kelsey.
“He will ask you to convict him not of murder, but of the markedly less serious offence of manslaughter. The defendant will, I anticipate, say that he is not to be held fully responsible for his actions; either because his responsibility, was as it said, diminished through him genuinely suffering from mental illness or because he lost his self-control in such circumstances as can mean he is only guilty of manslaughter and not murder.”
However he says: “”The prosecution say bluntly to you that this is not the case. We respectfully submit to you that the stark truth of this case is plain; Callum Wilcocks was not suffering from any mental illness which may amount to his responsibility for his actions being diminished down to manslaughter.
“Furthermore we submit that he did not lose his self control, as is it said in the law, he lost his temper with fatal consequences.”
10:50 Jonathan Humphries Wilcocks in dock
Wilcocks appears in the dock wearing a black suit with a white shirt and grey tie.
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/