The family of Elle Edwards shouted in court, branding Connor Chapman "a rat" as he was sentenced to 48 years in jail for her murder. The "wholly innocent" beautician, 26, was shot three times as she enjoyed a night out with her sister and friends outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey Village. Elle was struck twice in the head and once in the shoulder, before dying almost instantly, while five men were also injured, one critically
A jury of seven women and five men came to a unanimous decision on Chapman's guilt yesterday [Thursday, July 6] after three hours and 48 minutes of deliberation, following a three and a half week trial at Liverpool Crown Court. Chapman’s friend Thomas Waring, 20, was also convicted of possession of a prohibited weapon, and assisting an offender by helping Chapman torch a stolen black Mercedes car used to flee the scene.
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Today trial judge Mr Justice Goose described Chapman as a "highly dangerous man" before sentencing him to a minimum of 48 years in prison for Elle's murder. The minimum also included two counts of attempted murder, two counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, one count of assault causing actual bodily harm and possessing an prohibited weapon and ammunition with intent to endanger life.
Waring was sentenced to a minimum of nine years in prison for possession of a prohibited weapon and assisting an offender.
Tim Edwards’ eyes were fixed on Chapman in the dock for periods throughout the sentencing. As Justice Good said Chapman could be taken down to the cells there was a brief outburst of shouting from the public gallery from Elle’s family members. They were heard saying: “See you later", “Scumbag" and “F***** rat".
During the trial Nigel Power, KC, prosecuting, described 23-year-old career criminal Chapman as “at the heart” of the Woodchurch estate organised crime group. That group, he said, was engaged in a violent, tit-for-tat feud with a rival group of criminals based around the Beechwood/Ford estate, on the opposite side of the M53 motorway.
Somehow, Chapman became aware that several of his enemies were celebrating in the busy Lighthouse pub that evening. Rather than forget the rivalry for one night and spend his first Christmas Eve out of a prison cell in four years with his partner and young daughter, Chapman instead opted to collect a Skorpion sub-machine gun, capable of discharging around 15 rounds in under one second, and hopped in that stolen Mercedes.
CCTV footage showed how he staked out the pub for nearly three hours before taking his shot.
Inside, meanwhile, Elle was recorded on CCTV happily chatting with her friends. At one stage she even left for a period to go to another pub, before dropping her sister Lucy off at home and returning to the Lighthouse.
At 11.47pm, Elle left the pub for a cigarette where she was seen on CCTV chatting to the other victims. Tragically for Elle, she was stood next to Beechwood gang associates Kieran Salkeld and Jake Duffy.
In the carpark, Chapman, with his trademark long brown hair and face covered by a hood or balaclava, was loitering. Harrowing CCTV footage, played again and again in the trial as Elle’s family looked on, showed him stepping out from the side of the pub and unleashing 12 shots, simultaneously backing towards the getaway car.
Elle slumped forwards, instantly unconscious, landing on Salkeld who had fallen straight onto his back.
During the sentence hearing, Elle's dad Tim read a harrowing victim impact statements. He said: "On December 24 2022 my daughter was doing what every young person should be doing at christmas. Looking forward to Christmas Day with her family. That will never happen again.
“She was the most caring, beautiful, happy person. She was the one every kid went to for help, or maybe just a hug.
“Her permanent smile would light up any room she entered. She would always greet you with a hug and ask how are you doing. She always gave the best hugs, and it was always enough to lift you if you were having a bad day.
"Elle was trying her hardest to make something of herself. She always got to where she wanted to be. She was reaching her peak and the happiest I’’ve ever seen her. She had such a bright future. Elle was a fantastic sister. The bond the four of them has is unbreakable. She would give all her spare time to her brothers and sisters. Elle did the same with her friends.
“Elle loved the company of her grandparents and was always calling in to see them. It was her second home. Elle cared for her grandmother and the two would often go out for afternoon tea or lunch somewhere. She would always make sure her nan had a great day out. The same went for her other grandfather George. She would go out the way to have a catch up with him.
“I can’t begin to explain the devastating effect this has. The only people who go through such a horrific experience can ever know how it feels. I hope the people in this room never have to experience what we are going through now. We have been given a life sentence. Whenever we celebrate birthdays, easter, family celebrations there will always be Elle missing. We know if she was there, it was always going to be a great time full of laughter and cheer.
“We will always wonder what her children would be like, what her career would turn out like. We will never know. We never asked for this punishment.
“The event of Christmas Eve have impacted us in a huge number of ways. The feeling of loss of a child is so devastating it really can’t be put into words. It’s hard to focus on the future when no matter what we do there is nothing to bring back our daughter. I will do my best to make sure her name is never forgotten and use her name to help those who need it.
“Christmas will never be celebrated. Gone is the time of Christmas as a time to be together. We will never all be together.”
