THE jury in the trial of a man and woman accused of murdering a debt collector has been sent out to consider its verdict.
Flintshire shop worker Rachael Horton, 19, and Scott Davidson, 23, originally from Elton, near Chester stand accused of murdering Martin Ithell, 49, of Robinsons Croft, Great Boughton.
They both deny the charge.
A jury of six men and six women have been sent out by Judge Clement Goldstone, Recorder of Liverpool yesterday after hearing almost five weeks of evidence at a trial at Liverpool Crown Court.
The Crown allege the pair plotted to kill Mr Ithell at their home in Hawthorne Road, Frodsham, in desperation after running into over a large debt.
Michael Chambers, QC, prosecuting, allege Davidson shot and Horton and repeatedly stabbed him in the neck, before putting his body in the back of his BMW car and leaving it outside Blacon Police Station in Chester.
Richard Pratt, QC, representing Davidson, told the court during his closing speech that his client acted in self defence.
Mr Pratt alleges it was Mr Ithell, and not Davidson, who was the aggressor and had “piled on the pressure” after lending Davidson £16,000.
After the debt had swelled to £26,000 due to high interests rates, Davidson invited Ithell to his home to discuss the matter, but he says Mr Ithell was aggressive and had threatened him with a handgun.
He told the court earlier this week: “We say that if a man came into a house and takes hold of you and pulls a gun out – and then you have the opportunity to raise a firearm to him – then you are reasonably entitled to do so and that what follows is lawful.”
Defending Davidson, Mr Pratt told jurors that the shotgun used by Davidson to shoot Mr Ithell through the heart, was “dangerous and cheap” and had gone off by accident.
Andrew Thomas, representing Horton, of Hawthorn Road, Little Sutton, initially admitted to police in interview that she had stabbed Mr Ithell, she later told police: “I said that but it wasn’t true.”
Horton, who worked at Sleepland Beds, on Deva Business Park, Deeside, says she armed herself with a kitchen knife to protect herself but it was Davidson who grabbed it from her before stabbing Mr Ithell in the neck.
The teenager, who attended Sutton High School and West Cheshire College, said she had lied to protect her then fiance.
During his defence closing speech Mr Thomas said his client was “besotted” with Davidson and knew he had “done something wrong”.
Mr Thomas told the court: “She didn’t call police or ambulance and started to clean up the house – but that doesn’t make her guilty of murder.
“She was not alone, others lied and covered up.
“Take into account that she is 19 years old, and panicked and lied to protect Scott Davidson. It is not a pre-planned perfect murder. Look at the chaos and panic.
“It’s not a half baked plan as the prosecution say, it was no plan at all.”
Mr Thomas said Horton was not guilty of murder but that she “was in the wrong place at the wrong time”.
The jury of six men and six women was sent out to consider its verdict at 1pm yesterday.