Woman accused of aiding Elle Edwards's killer told mum 'I'm minding his clothes'

A woman accused of assisting an offender in relation to the murder of Elle Edwards, allegedly texted her mother saying "I'm minding his f***ing clothes", a court heard. Ms Edwards, a 26-year-old beautician, tragically lost her life when Connor Chapman unleashed a hail of bullets from a Skorpion sub-machine gun outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey on Christmas Eve 2022.

Chapman was found guilty of her murder in July of the following year and subsequently received a life sentence with a minimum term of 48 years. Four individuals, two men and two women, are currently standing trial at Liverpool Crown Court, charged with assisting an offender in connection with the fatal shooting.

On Tuesday (October 8), prosecutor Katy Appleton alleged that four defendants - Roxanne Matthews, 34, Danielle Dowdall, 34, David Chambers, 43, and Paul Owen, 50 - "assisted Connor Chapman in evading arrest, intending to impede his apprehension or prosecution", as heard in court, reports the Liverpool Echo.

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During the prosecution's opening, Ms Appleton, who will be assisted during the trial by Isabella Denn-White, said Dowdall, 34 and of Woodchurch, is alleged to have "had in her possession and assisted in the disposal of clothes worn by Connor Chapman during the murder of Elle Edwards" between December 24 2022 and January 14 2023.

The court heard Chapman was arrested on January 10 last year after he travelled to north Wales in a hire car and stayed in the Sycamore Spa. Ms Appleton said: "On 13th January 2023 at 12.22am Merseyside Police released the news that Connor Chapman had been charged with the murder of Elle Edwards."

"That morning Danielle Dowdall's mother sent her a screenshot of the press release. How does Danielle Dowdall respond? 'I know I'm minding his f***ing clothes'. Danielle Dowdall informs her mum that the bag of clothing will 'be goin out my house today' and that David Chambers had been knocking at hers the night before to collect the bag of clothing but she was asleep and so she is going to take them to Melissa Mason (Chambers' then partner) in Rock Ferry."

Ms Appleton alleges later that day Dowdall spoke again with her mum. The court heard between them they decided to steal jewellery which was inside the bag of clothing that, the prosecution said, was bought by Chapman in Pandora in the Arndale Centre earlier on Christmas Eve.

Ms Appleton told the court: "They obviously thought that they would get away with it but David Chambers discovered what they had done. Yet, Danielle Dowdall denied it, messaging David Chambers in February, saying, 'Mate I'm not a thief' and 'I don't rob off my own'."

Ms Appleton claims Chapman told Dowdall he was wanted by police when he gave her the bag of clothes and jewellery in a Santa sack but intended to give himself up after Christmas. Chapman also told her he had been thrown out by his girlfriend, Ms Appleton said.

Ms Appleton said during Dowdall's second interview on June 1 2023 she admitted taking possession of Chapman's clothes before returning them to co-defendant Chambers via Ms Mason. She said she didn't think anything "dodgy" in this and when asked why he asked her she suggested it was because her address was closest, the trial was told. The court also heard she knew Chapman was wanted by the police but claimed she did not know what for. Ms Appleton added: "She stated it was her mother's idea to steal the jewellery and after she had done so, panicked and just wanted to give it back."

The court heard Matthews was alleged to have harboured Chapman at her home in Noctorum, which had a converted loft room that jurors were shown a photo of. On January 2 2023, the day after police had spoken to Chapman and urged him to hand himself in, phone records show he messaged Matthews to ask where tissue and wipes were, the court heard.

Ms Appleton said: "The prosecution says that Roxanne Matthews is harbouring Connor Chapman at her home address, Ormond Mews, which explains the context of the messages." Records also showed Matthews, who the court heard used to be babysat by Chapman's mum, carried out searches on the Liverpool ECHO and BBC for news on Ms Edwards' murder.

The court heard on January 7 Matthews messaged Chapman to ask if he was okay and he replied: "Yeah just got up haha. Heavy this haha." She replied saying "feel awful for you" and told him she would not be long, the court heard.

The court heard Matthews is alleged to have harboured Chapman at her home until January 9, when she booked a stay at the Penllwyn Lodges in Wales, after Chapman, who transferred £900 to her account, decided against a ferry journey overseas. Ms Matthews is also alleged to have hired Chapman a car - a blue Volkswagen T-cross - and was driven to collect it by Chambers, Chapman's uncle, the jury heard.

During her police interview, Matthews admitted that she knew Chapman was a gang member but thought he was "nice", Ms Appleton said. The court heard Chapman had also asked her to book the lodge because he didn't have a card, while the car, which she was driven by Chambers to Speke to collect, had been ordered for her own use.

The court heard Chambers, of no fixed address, faces two charges, one of which alleges he "collected, possessed or arranged for Danielle Dowdall to take possession of clothes worn by Connor Chapman," and another of arranging the hiring of the car.

The court also heard telephone contact showed Chambers was in contact with Chapman and Thomas Waring on December 23, and went to the Arndale Centre with Chapman and his brothers on Christmas Eve. Ms Appleton said he answered no comment during his interview.

The court heard Owen, of Woodchurch, was alleged to have given his car to Chapman to use on New Year's Eve when he and Thomas Waring burnt out the black Mercedes A Class used in the murder. Ms Appleton said Owen admitted to knowing Chapman, who was his drug dealer, and knew him as "Curly".

The court heard he handed over the car at the Horse and Jockey pub in Upton, and later messaged Chapman saying: "Be careful bacon everywhere." Ms Appleton said: "The Crown suggests he was warning Chapman of the police presence."

Dowdall, Matthews, Chambers and Owen, who are represented by Desmond Lennon, Martine Snowdon, Daniel Travers and Christopher Stables respectively, deny all charges. The trial before Mr Justice Morris, is expected to last four weeks.