Man Removed from Court After Disrupting Judge’s Summing Up in Acid Attack Murder Trial
A dramatic scene unfolded in Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester as a man accused of murder was removed from the courtroom after interrupting the judge’s summing up in a high-profile acid attack trial. The trial involves the alleged murder of Liam Smith, a father-of-two who was shot and attacked with acid in Wigan, Greater Manchester.
The accused, Michael Hillier, along with his partner Rachel Fulstow, is on trial for the murder of Mr. Smith. The jury retired to consider their verdicts shortly before 1 pm on Tuesday. However, before they could do so, Hillier caused a stir by speaking out from the dock.
Hillier’s outburst centered around remarks made by the judge regarding Fulstow’s testimony concerning her relationship with the victim. Fulstow claimed that she and Mr. Smith had engaged in non-consensual sex during a date at a hotel in 2019. When the judge reminded the jury about this testimony, Hillier objected, loudly proclaiming, It’s not sex, it’s rape. What sort of message does that send out? Sex is consensual, rape isn’t.
The interruption led to Hillier’s immediate removal from the dock by security officers. Nonetheless, defense counsel Louise Blackwell quickly intervened, expressing Hillier’s apologies to the court. In response, Judge Maurice Greene acknowledged that emotions run high in such cases.
With the jury now sequestered to deliberate on their verdict, Judge Greene offered his own reflections on the incident, stating, As to what really happened on that night we will probably never know and it probably doesn’t matter. This comment underscores the complexity of the case, as well as the difficulty of ascertaining the truth behind the events of that fateful night.
The trial has heard that Mr. Smith was lured out of his home by Hillier on November 24 of last year. Hillier then proceeded to shoot him in the face before pouring acid over him. Fulstow, who claims she had no prior knowledge of Hillier’s intentions, denies the charges of murder and perverting the course of justice.
As the jury deliberates, the shocking details of this case continue to captivate the public’s attention. The tragic death of Liam Smith and the alleged involvement of Michael Hillier and Rachel Fulstow have brought issues of consent, violence, and justice to the forefront. The jury’s verdict will determine the legal consequences for the accused, but for Liam Smith’s family and loved ones, closure and the prospect of justice hang in the balance.
