'I'm not a thief' mum cries as she denies stealing Pandora jewellery from Connor Chapman
A mum who is accused of minding Connor Chapman's clothing following the murder of Elle Edwards has tearfully denied stealing Pandora jewellery from the killer. 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.
Danielle Dowdall, David Chambers, Roxanne Matthews and Paul Owen all deny the respective charges against them. The former began giving evidence to the jury of eight men and four women on Friday and was cross-examined by Katy Appleton, prosecuting, yesterday afternoon.
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Chambers is alleged to have left a Santa sack containing the Berghaus fleece and Nike trainers Chapman wore during the shooting at Dowdall's home on Big Meadow Road in Woodchurch on Christmas Day. A string of messages between her and her mum then apparently showed them discussing a plan to pawn jewellery which had also been left in the bag, supposedly a Pandora bracelet and four charms which he had purchased by the gunman during a shopping trip to Manchester earlier on December 24.
The 34-year-old however claims that Chapman himself had dropped the clothing, which did not include those worn during the murder, at her home prior to Christmas Eve following a row with his girlfriend. Dowdall also says that the items of jewellery within the bag were not newly purchased.
On the stand, Ms Appleton asked her about phone contact between her and Chapman in the early hours of December 30 2022. She stated that this was "probably for drugs", having told jurors that she would purchase cocaine from the murderer, and added: "It looks like we’re having a conversation. We were friends. He wasn’t just a drug dealer, he was my mate as well."
When it was put to her that they were "discussing the fact Connor Chapman had killed Elle Edwards and she was hiding his clothing", Dowdall replied "100 per cent not what you said". Asked why she had then performed a factory reset on her phone, she said: "I can’t remember. I really can’t. I took pictures of my kids over Christmas. I really can’t remember it."
Ms Appleton also questioned the mother-of-two over a phone conversation between herself and Chapman while Matthews was supposedly picking up a rental car on his behalf before he left Merseyside for Wales. Dowdall said that she "possibly owed him some money" which he would collect from her before his departure.
It was however suggested that he "wanted the jewellery that she had stolen back". The Sayers bakery worker and former mobile hairdresser however said: "I didn’t steal it. I was minding it for him."
Referring to a "long phone call" between Dowdall and Matthews following Chapman's arrest, Ms Appleton said: "Were you trying to get your stories straight? Pretending you didn’t know what Mr Chapman had done and how you were going to cover your tracks? Or were you panicking about the clothes?"
But Dowdall replied: "I had no tracks to cover. I wasn’t panicking. I had nothing to panic about. He gave me them before Christmas Eve. Why would I panic?”
Ms Appleton then referred to a set of messages over the coming days between Dowdall and her mum Michelle Dowdall which showed that the latter had stored bracelets belonging to Chapman in her loft and floated the idea of taking the items to a pawn shop. The daughter however said in response: "They all speak and will think I’ve robbed them. Not worth living if you rob someone like him."
In a later text, she added: "I need it back. I'm not robbing him of all people and not robbing people like that. I don’t care. It's not worth it. You don't rob gangs like that. They will know I took them." Dowdall said of this discussion: "She was intending on stealing them obviously, I wasn’t. Obviously she had other intentions than I had."
But Ms Appleton said: "You are trying to blame your mum for the fact that it was your idea to steal it from Connor Chapman. Your mum is warning you to keep your mouth shut so that the two of you can steal the jewellery from Connor Chapman."
Dowdall stated that her mum was "wanting me to keep my mouth shut so she can steal it". Ms Appleton then continued: "You thought you would get away with it because Connor Chapman had been charged with murder." But Dowdall replied: "My mum thought that. I’m not a thief."
The court was then read a further message from Michelle Dowdall, saying: "We having all that jewellery? We will just split all the charms up so nobody can recognise them. I love the rose gold stuff."
Ms Appleton said that this was "exactly what Mr Chapman bought in Pandora, rose gold charms". Dowdall appeared to become tearful in the witness box at that stage and said: "Clearly that was her [Danielle Jones, Chapman's girlfriend] favourite type. She would have had more gold charms. It doesn’t link to me because I was no part in it. I’m not a thief and I didn’t steal jewellery. I got the stuff before Christmas.”
Dowdall was also referred to a Snapchat message to Chambers on February 22 in which she said: "Mate, I’m not a thief. I didn’t even look at them to know what is missing. I done a favour. I would never do a thing like that. I swear on my two kids’ lives. I don’t rob off my own."
Ms Appleton said: "You denied stealing the jewellery to Mr Chambers. I’m going to suggest you were lying to Mr Chambers when you said 'I’m not a thief'."
Dowdall however replied: "I’m not a liar and I’m not a thief. I didn’t take them. I don’t rob off anyone, rob off my own friends or anybody. Anyone I’m involved with, I wouldn’t steal off."
Dowdall denies one charge of assisting an offender. Matthews, also 34 and of Noctorum, 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.