A man and woman facing recently-brought criminal charges as part of a police investigation into 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 September 18 last year.
Two men — Kane Hull, 29, and 33-year-old Liam Craig Porter — are due to stand trial later this year having denied charges which allege both Mr Kirkpatrick’s murder and manslaughter.
And this afternoon, two more people charged as part of the major investigation by detectives 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 attended Carlisle city centre and made purchases of items intended for Hull and Porter on September 20; and provided, booked and paid for accommodation for Hull, Porter and herself “to evade police” between September 19 and 28/
Celmins, of Irthington, near Brampton, is alleged to have provided Hull and Porter with a stolen Skoda Roomster between September 21 and 22; and on September 23, in 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 July 11 and were granted unconditional bail in the meantime.
*The case of a third person facing three assisting offender charges — 32-year-old Ross Neville, of Canonbie — was adjourned to June 21. He was not present in court today.
Court papers show Neville stands accused of removing Hull and Porter from Carlisle, providing them with accommodation overnight on September 18; of driving Hull to collect a green Audi vehicle at Kingmoor, Carlisle, on September 19 to further evade police; and Neville is further alleged to have booked and paid for accommodation for both Hull and Porter on the same date at a Newcastleton holiday park.
