BY GABRIEL PRINCEWILL AND ERIC KING
A man is standing trial in Liverpool today for the murder of a 19 year old boxer, Vinnie Hooligan who was struck by a Jeep and suffered multiple catastrophic ‘ injuries’ consistent ”with being struck by a vehicle and run over” by a vehicle, according the Crown’s prosecution case. The Crown’s case is that Mr. Erskine drove his jeep and struck Hooligan, the son of British and Common Wealth champion, Andy Holligan, and killed him with ”malicious intent”. The victim and his friends had been drinking earlier that day and just finished watching the high profile Carl Froch and George Groves world title fight in a bar.
The defendant called police himself on the fatal day in question, claiming he was chased but clipped off one of their legs accidentally. He was initially arrested and charged with killing my dangerous driving, but that charge was later elevated to murder after further inquiries by the police. Mr. Erskine claimed to police that he was trying to get away at the time of the deadly incident. He indeed was driving away at the timr, but without rational expectation turned at the group at the full speed of approximately 54kph. The court heard that the group where driven there by Jack Murphy- a friend of the victim.
Prosecuting, QC Unsworth told the court ”bluntly if he is trying to claim he was simply trying to get away from them, he had no need to turn around. He could simply have driven away. We say that the decision to turn around was a deliberate move and one which demonstrated his malicious intention”.
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Incidentally, a witness who arrived at the vicinity of the scene to meet his girlfriend recalled seeing Erkson’s vehicle turn around such that it was across the road. He recounted that Vinnie, Mr. Bennett and Mr.Mcmally then got out of the car and chased the jeep. The jeep then seemed to slow down before turning round to face the group. With Erskine at the wheel, the jeep drove at speed towards the group before striking Vinnie Hooligan.
QC Unsworth said ”it was wholly inconsistent with a man trying to get away from trouble. On the contrary, we suspect what happened was consistent with someone who went out looking for the group. He (the witness) felt he was driving towards them, he did so at high speed in that powerful vehicle, so we say it was consistent with who did so with required murderous intent”. The court heard that Mr. Bennett, who had known the victim since he was 4years of age, admitted lying to police in his initial statement, claiming that the jeep had tried to avoid Vinnie when Vinnie moved at the same time. But the liar changed his statement claiming to have been eager to get away from the police cell having just lost his best friend. In court, he said the jeep was ”definitely not trying to avoid Vinnie”.
Describing the events that preceded the killing, Bennett explained ” the jeep pulled at Parkway, facing away from Northern Perimeter Road, and was stationary for seconds. It then reversed out of parkway and was facing towards Thornton, facing us”. Bennett’s lie to police when he initially made a statement to police is unhelpful to the case, and can contribute to frustrating or complicating the task of the court which as the ‘finder of facts’ will need to eventually conclude in their minds as to what exactly transpired on the day in question, and ascertain whether the defendant indeed had the requisite element of ‘intention’ in causing the serious harm that culminated in the death of a young boxing prospect. The courts implicitly make allowance for the possibility of witnesses lying and inherently do not necessarily dismiss evidence that may subsequently be tendered in court by the lying witness if the changed statement is adjudged to be credible and fitting with the rest of the evidence heard. Witnesses are sometimes apprehensive of being perceived as ‘grasses'(police informants) and may be disinclined to disclose all the facts, though such perspectives and attitudes are wholly indefensible and inexcusable, especially when it comes to a murder investigation. Notwithstanding, individuals in many social stratums are often affected by this traditional thinking of the streets that prioritizes the interest of the criminal assailant and the image and reputation of the witness, over the honest revelation of the truth for the noble purpose of justice.
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The case was initially scheduled for hearing at Liverpool Crown court, but was moved to Manchester Crown court after the defendant was attacked by Vinnie’s uncle Michael Witty, 42, who was subsequently jailed for 12 weeks after admitting assault. Everton FC Manager, Roberto Martinez has been pictured wearing sent his condolences to the family and was pictured wearing a RIP\ Vinnie T shirt. The case is due to continue tomorrow morning.
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