Connor Chapman was 'chilled out, bubbly and laughing' after Elle Edwards' murder
Connor Chapman was "chilled out, bubbly and laughing" in the days after the murder of Elle Edwards, a court has heard. The 26-year-old beautician died after being shot outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey, Wirral, on Christmas Eve 2022.
Chapman was convicted of her murder in July last year and later jailed for life with a minimum term of 48 years. Two men and two women are currently on trial at Liverpool Crown Court accused of assisting an offender in connection with the fatal shooting.
Roxanne Matthews, David Chambers, Danielle Dowdall and Paul Owen all deny the respective charges against them. A jury of eight men and four women today continued to be read a transcript of the former's interviews with the police following her arrest at her home on Ormond Mews in Noctorum on the morning of March 14 2023.
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Matthews is alleged to have hired a car for Chapman and booked him a holiday lodge in Wales following the shooting. The 34-year-old admits booking the accommodation but says she did so not knowing that he was the killer, whom she maintains took the vehicle without her consent after she had rented it for her own use. When asked about Elle Edwards by detectives, the mum-of-three replied: "I’ve just seen pictures of her. She was absolutely stunning.”
Matthews was then quizzed on whether she had any knowledge of the incident at the Lighthouse, and said: "Just waking up on Christmas morning like everyone else. It was like, have you seen what’s gone on? Some young girl has been killed.
"It was all over everywhere. I think it hit everyone’s home hard, very personal. It was like wow, something so close. It could have been any of us in that club, couldn’t it? I’m just grateful that we don’t go out. It scared me to go out to be honest."
Matthews was meanwhile asked whether she had seen Chapman since the murder. She reported that she had seen him with a friend on an electric bike on one occasion, which she believed may have been around December 27 but "might have been New Year's Day", and said: "He said 'alright kid'. He was talking to us. I said 'give us a backy home to my mate's. They just laughed and went off. I didn’t really see him after that."
Chapman then visited her at her home in order to book the lodge, with Matthews saying of this: "Now you’re saying it, yeah. I would think questions. Why didn’t I question this, why didn’t I do this? Because now I know. He’s been arrested for something. At the time, I wouldn’t question at all to think why haven’t you got someone else to ask?"
When was asked about his "state of mind at the time", she added: "Chilled out, bubbly, laughing, no rush at all. There was nothing I can say at the time. If he’s convicted of this, what a cool, smooth guy he is.
"He’d had trouble with his girlfriend. He said they’d fell out. I said, young love, I’ve been there. It made me feel so old. He was saying 'I know we fell out, I’m just a moody guy'. I said yous will be fine. He said I want to take her somewhere nice, with her being pregnant.
"I know they weren’t really 100 per cent. I think he was trying to make it up. They’d had a bit of a row or something. I thought it was quite cute. Then with the baby going, I wouldn’t have second questioned anything. If you were on the run, why would you take the baby?"
Matthews was also questioned whether she had discussed the shooting with Chapman, and said: "Do you know what, that’s the thing. I never even. It’s not something he ever brought up or a discussion I had with him.
"That’s not a discussion I would have had with him in general. Everyone heard about it. It was wow, that’s traumatic. We all want justice for Elle’s family. Everyone wanted the scumbag put away.
"When I found out, that’s when I instantly phoned the police and said, that lad you’ve got for the murder, he’s got my vehicle. I also booked a holiday lodge for him and his girlfriend. They said they would get back and contact me. I’ve never heard anything from the police since."
Dowdall, aged 34 and of Woodchurch, denies one charge of assisting an offender. Matthews has pleaded not guilty to three counts of the same offence.
Chambers, aged 43 and of no fixed address, denies two charges of assisting an offender while 50-year-old Owen, of Woodchurch, has pleaded not guilty to one count. The trial, before Mr Justice Morris, continues.