A MAN and a woman have appeared before a court accused of “assisting” the men charged with murdering Carlisle man Ryan Kirkpatrick.

Appearing before the city’s Rickergate Magistrates' Court this afternoon were 22-year-old Olivia Memmory, of The Oval, Cummersdale, Carlisle; and Michael Celmins, 32, of Stanegate, Irthington.

A third defendant who faces similar charges, 31-year-old Ross Neville, from Canonbie, was due to appear before the same court but he arranged to have his case adjourned

Those three defendants – Memmory, Celmins and Neville - were charged following the investigation into the death of 24-year-old Mr Kirkpatrick on September 18 last year.

The two Carlisle men who are now accused of the murder – Kane Hull, 29, of Bower Street, and 32-year-old Liam Porter, of Fulmar Place – have pleaded not guilty.  They face a trial at Carlisle Crown Court in October.

The charges against the two defendants who appeared in court today were as follows. Memmory faces two allegations.

They are:

  • Assisting an offender: that on September 20 last year, she attended Carlisle city centre and purchased items intended for Kane Hull and Liam Porter with intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of a person who had committed the offence of murder, knowing or believing the said person to be guilty of the offence or some offence.
  • Assisting an offender: that between September 19 and 29 she did an act – providing, booking and paying for accommodation for Liam Porter and Kane Hull and herself in order to evade the police, with intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of a person who had committed the offence of murder.

Celmins faces three allegations. They are:

  • Assisting an offender: that between September 21 and 22 last year he did an act – namely, providing Kane Hull and Liam Porter with a stolen Skoda Roomster car to further evade the police, with intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of a person who had committed the offence or murder, knowing or believing that person to be guilty of the offence or some other offence.
  • Assisting an offender: that on September 23 last year, at Belfast he provided Kane Hull with £500 to help him continue to evade capture, with intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of a person who had committed the offence of murder.
  • Handing stolen goods: that on September 21 last year, he dishonestly undertook in the retention, removal or disposal of stolen goods, namely a Skoda Roomster, giving it to two murder suspects, Kane Hull and Liam Porter.

Celmins and Memmory, who were both legally represented, spoke only to confirm their personal details.

Their lawyers - Matthew Corn, for Memmory; and John Halewood-Dodd for Celmins - confirmed that neither defendant would indicate any pleas at this stage.

Magistrates declined jurisdiction and sent the case to Carlisle Crown Court for a hearing on July 11. Both defendants were granted bail until that time.

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Ross Neville faces the following three charges:

  • Assisting an offender: that between September 18 and 20 last year, he did an act – namely, removing Kane Hull and Liam Porter from Carlisle and providing them with accommodation overnight on September 18, with intent to impede their apprehension or prosecution.
  • Assisting an offender: that on September 19, last year, at Kingmoor, he did an act, namely driving Kane Hull to collect another vehicle (a green Audi) to further evade police, with intent to impede the apprehension of a person who had committed the offence of murder.
  • Assisting an offender: that on September 19 last year, at Canonbie, he did an act, namely booking and paying for accommodation for Kane Hull and Liam Porter for September 19 onwards at the River View Holiday Park, Newcastleton, with intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of a person who had committed murder

Magistrates agreed to adjourn Neville’s case until June 21.

At an earlier hearing before Carlisle Crown Court, Judge Simon Medland QC ruled that the trial for both Hull and Porter will get underway on October 5. It is expected to last for two to three weeks.

The murder investigation was lauched after police were called to Carlyle’s Court, off Fisher Street in Carlisle, at 8.48pm, on September 18 last year following reports that a man had been stabbed.

Despite attempts to save him, Mr Kirkpatrick died at the scene.

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