Elle Edwards murder trial: Alleged conspirator will not give evidence

Ms Edwards was killed outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey Village, Wirral, shortly before midnight on Christmas Eve last year. Credit: Family photo

A man accused of assisting the alleged gunman who killed a 26-year-old woman in a pub on Christmas Eve will not give evidence in his trial.

Thomas Waring is accused of helping Connor Chapman to burn out the stolen Mercedes car used in the murder of Elle Edwards.

Ms Edwards was killed when a man, alleged to be Chapman, opened fire with a Skorpion sub-machine gun outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey Village, Wirral, Merseyside, shortly before midnight on Christmas Eve last year.

Waring, 20, is also charged with possession of a prohibited weapon.

At Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday, William England, defending Waring, said he would not be calling the defendant to give evidence.

Trial judge Mr Justice Goose told the jury: "This is the stage of his case where he had the opportunity to give evidence in his trial and he may do so or decline to do so."

He asked Mr England if he had the opportunity to give Waring advice and tell him it may be open to the jury to hold the fact he chose not to give evidence against him.

Mr England confirmed he had.

Connor Chapman is on trial at Liverpool Crown Court accused of murder. Credit: PA

Chapman, 23, is accused of carrying out the shooting as the culmination of a feud between groups on the Woodchurch and Beechwood estates in Wirral.

After the attack, in which five men were injured, he is said to have travelled to Waring’s house on Private Drive, Barnston, Wirral.

CCTV near the address just after midnight on Christmas Day shows a man alleged to be the gunman, with long hair, walking towards Waring’s property and, the prosecution has suggested, appearing to drop a weapon.

Chapman has told the jury he was at home all night.

But, the court has heard Waring instructed his barrister to suggest that Chapman had been at his house following the shooting.

During his evidence on Monday, Chapman said: "I wouldn’t really know why Tom would say that.

"In my personal opinion, he’s got more than enough reason to tell the prosecution what they want to hear."

Chapman denies murdering Ms Edwards, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He also denies having a Skorpion sub-machine gun with intent to endanger life and ammunition with intent to endanger life.

Waring denies possessing a prohibited weapon and assisting an offender by helping Chapman dispose of the car.