Ryan Kirkpatrick: Pair accused of assisting offenders in Carlisle man's death appear in court

A pair accused of assisting offenders in the alleged murder of Carlisle man Ryan Kirkpatrick have appeared in court.

Mr Kirkpatrick, who was 24, died after being stabbed on the evening of 18 September last year.

Two men — Kane Hull, 29, and 33-year-old Liam Craig Porter — are due to stand trial later this year after denying charges of murder, and of manslaughter.

And this afternoon (Thursday 9 June), two more people charged in the investigation into Mr Kirkpatrick’s death appeared at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court.

Olivia Memmory, 22 and Michael Celmins, 32, each face two charges which allege assisting an offender.

Court papers allege that they both did so “with intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of a person who had committed the offence of murder”.

Specific allegations are made within each of the charges.

Memmory, of The Oval, Cummersdale, is alleged to have both been in Carlisle city centre and bought items intended for Hull and Porter on 20 September; and provided, booked and paid for accommodation for Hull, Porter and herself to evade police between 19 and 28 September.

Celmins, of Irthington, near Brampton, is alleged to have provided Hull and Porter with a stolen Skoda Roomster between 21 and 22 September; and on 23 September, at Belfast, provided Kane Hull with £500 cash to continue to evade capture.

In addition, Celmins faces a third charge which alleges the handling of a stolen Skoda Roomster.

During a five-minute court hearing, standing side-by-side in court, Memmory and Celmins spoke in turn to confirm their names, dates of birth and addresses.

Their respective solicitors told magistrates no pleas to the charges would be entered at this stage.

After hearing a brief outline of the allegations from prosecutor George Shelley, magistrates declined jurisdiction and sent the case to Carlisle Crown Court.

Memmory and Celmins are due to appear in front of a judge at the crown court on 11 July and were granted unconditional bail in the meantime.

The case of a third person facing three assisting offender charges — 32-year-old Ross Neville, who was not present in court — was adjourned to 21 June.