The third person facing assisting offender charges brought as part of a police investigation into the alleged murder of Carlisle man Ryan Kirkpatrick has appeared in court.
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. Mr Kirkpatrick, who was 24, died after being stabbed on the evening of September 18 last year.
Police have also brought other criminal charges against two men and a woman as part of the investigation.
And this morning, Ross Henry Neville, 31, appeared at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court.
Neville faces three assisting offender charges which allege that he committed acts with intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of a person who had committed the offence of murder.
Court papers show he is accused of doing so in three separate ways: by “removing Hull and Porter from Carlisle, providing them with accommodation overnight on September 18 2021; of driving Hull to collect another vehicle — a green Audi, at Kingmoor, Carlisle, on September 19; and on the same date, at Canonbie, he further stands accused of booking and paying for accommodation for Hull and Porter for September 19 onwards at a Newcastleton holiday park.
From the magistrates’ court dock, Neville spoke only to confirm his full name, address and date of birth. No pleas were indicated to any of the three charges. His lawyer appeared remotely over a video link.
Magistrates were told that the cases of two other people facing assisting offender allegations — Olivia Memmory, 22, of The Oval, Cummersdale, near Carlisle; and Michael Celmins, 32, of Irthington, near Brampton — had been committed to the crown court. These cases are classed as “indictable only” and can only be dealt with in front of a judge.
Neville had his case committed to the city’s crown court. He is due to appear there, along with Memmory and Celmins, on July 11.
In the meantime, Neville, of Broadmeadows Farm, Canonbie, was granted unconditional bail by the magistrates.
