Man accused of murdering a beautician on Christmas Eve pleads not guilty

Connor Chapman has pleaded not guilty to charges related to the murder of beautician Elle Edwards in a Merseyside pub on Christmas Eve.

Mrs Edwards26, was partying with friends when a gunman opened fire at the Lighthouse Pub in Wallasey Village, Wirral, just before midnight.

She is not believed to have been the intended target of the attack, which left four men injured.

Chapman, 23, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court via video link from HMP Manchester.

When he was charged with murder, he answered “not guilty.”

He also denied eight other offences related to the shooting of Ms Edwards.

He pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder of Jake Duffy and Kieran Salkeld, and three counts of assault with intent to cause serious injury to Harry Loughran, Nicholas Speed ​​​​and Liam Carr.

He also denied possession of a converted Skorpion submachine gun and ammunition with intent to endanger human life, as well as trafficking in stolen goods – a Mercedes A-Class vehicle – between December 22 and 26.

Thomas Waring, 20, of Private Drive, Barnston, Wirral, also appeared via video link.

Waring, who is being held at HMP Altcourse in Liverpool, pleaded not guilty to two charges: possession of a Scorpion submachine gun and aiding and abetting the crime.

Another pre-trial hearing will take place on May 15.

Judge Andrew Menary KC, Honorary Judge of Liverpool, remanded both defendants in custody before their trial at Liverpool Crown Court on 12 June.

In an interview with Sky News Earlier this year, Mrs Edwards' father Tim Edwards said: “She looked beautiful and was a great hugger. She was just a fantastic person with a heart of gold.”

Her funeral plan requested donations to the Elle Edwards Foundation in her memory, and Mr. Edwards expressed his hope that the foundation would fight gun violence in the region.