Liam Smith: Woman denies knowledge of acid murder plan, jury hears

A woman told police she did not know her boyfriend would shoot and pour acid on a man over a one-night stand she had with the victim, a trial has heard.

The body of Liam Smith, 38, was found near his home in Shevington, Wigan, on the evening of 24 November 2022.

Manchester Crown Court heard Michael Hillier lured him out of his home, shot him at close range then threw corrosive liquid over him.

Rachel Fulstow, 37, and Mr Hillier, 39, deny murdering the father-of-two.

The court has heard sulphuric acid was probably poured on the face and body of the victim, burning away his flesh.

Mr Smith was left for dead in the street, with the chemicals still "fizzing" on his body when he was found shortly after the attack in the early evening.

Mr Smith, an electrician, had had a "brief liaison" with Mr Hillier's co-accused, former nail technician Ms Fulstow, with a one-night stand in a York hotel in 2019, the jury heard.

The following year she became the partner of Mr Hillier, from Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, who was not happy about the fling and was "led to believe she had been raped", Jason Pitter KC, prosecuting, told the jury.

Mr Hillier has admitted manslaughter, while Ms Fulstow, of Andrew Drive, York, has pleaded not guilty to the same charge.

She also denies a single count of perverting the course of justice.

Ms Fulstow was initially treated as a witness by police until she was arrested in February.

She was taken to Ashton Police Station in Greater Manchester, where a detective told her "things had changed" due to "inconsistencies and further developments" in the investigation.

Ms Fulstow was told she was now under suspicion for joint enterprise murder by assisting or encouraging Mr Hillier to kill Mr Smith, as a result of the sexual encounter a few years earlier.

During the police interview read to the jury, Ms Fulstow told detectives: "I did not know Michael was planning or going to do it. What happened, happened.

"I told Michael about what happened, in essence because we were becoming more serious. It was non-consensual.

"It had happened two to three years before.

"Michael wanted me to go to the police, I did not want to at that stage, years later.

"He asked me what the guy was called but I didn't know that much."

Ms Fulstow said she told Mr Hillier that Mr Smith was from Wigan and had his own business, but he then went on to find out more information about him and she herself Googled him "out of curiosity".

Ms Fulstow also claimed Mr Hillier would be "verbally abusive" and "belittle" her during their relationship.

On one occasion after they had been out for a meal they returned to her house in York and Mr Hillier began smashing her home up.

She said he was screaming, "What were you doing in a hotel room?"

She added: "He would go on and on and on about the Liam situation. He said he was going to confront him and knows where he lives."

The trial continues.

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