WIRRAL politicians have paid tribute to the family of a 26-year-old beautician killed by a gunman who opened fire outside a pub on Christmas Eve.
Connor Chapman was found guilty following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court of the murder of Elle Edwards, who was hit twice in the back of the head when he fired 12 shots from a Skorpion submachine gun outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey Village, Wirral, Merseyside, shortly before midnight on December 24 last year.
The 23-year-old was sentenced by Mr Justice Goose.
Paying tribute to Elle's family after the sentence was passed, Wallasey MP Dame Angela Eagle said: "This afternoon, justice has been served.
"My thoughts and deepest sympathies continue to be with Elle’s family and loved ones today.
"I hope today's judgement will bring them some comfort, but it is nothing compared to the hell they have been going through since December.
"We cannot allow gangland violence and cowardly cold-blooded murder to prevail on the Wirral.
"It is vital our community is protected from violence, and that those who perpetrate such crimes face the consequences of their life-destroying behaviour."
Counciilor Paul Stuart, leader of Wirral Council, said: "First and foremost, our thoughts are with the family and friends of Elle Edwards who have suffered such a devastating loss and having to endure a lengthy court trial.
"Nothing will ever replace the loss of Elle, especially in such horrific circumstances.
"However, I hope Elle’s family will take some comfort knowing justice has been served to those responsible.
"This was an appalling crime, and its impact was felt by whole community in Wallasey Village and throughout Wirral.
"I would like to thank our communities for rallying together through this tough time and assure them that Wirral Council is committed to supporting the work of the police and other partners in tackling serious and organised crime and violence and doing everything we can to ensure such a tragedy is not repeated."
The trial heard the shooting was the culmination of a feud between gangs on the Woodchurch estate, where Chapman lived, and the Beechwood, or Ford, estate on the opposite side of the M53 in Wirral.
The father-of-two claimed he was at home all night when the shooting happened and that he had given another man, whom he refused to name, the key to a stolen Mercedes parked in a car park near his home on Houghton Road.
But, the jury found it was Chapman who had driven the car to the busy pub and waited outside for almost three hours before launching the attack, which injured his targets, Jake Duffy and Kieran Salkeld, and three other men who were unconnected to the feud.
After the shooting he fled the scene in the car and drove to friend Thomas Waring’s house, where CCTV showed Chapman, with distinctive long hair, appearing to drop the gun on the pavement as he walked towards the address.
A week later, on New Year’s Eve, he and Waring, 20, drove to Frodsham, Cheshire, where they burned out the stolen Mercedes.
As well as murder, Chapman was convicted of two counts of attempted murder, two counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, as well as possession of a Skorpion submachine gun with intent to endanger life and ammunition with intent to endanger life.
He pleaded guilty before the trial to a charge of handling stolen goods.
Waring, of Private Drive in Barnston, was convicted of possession of a prohibited firearm and assisting an offender and pleaded guilty before the trial to failing to comply with a disclosure notice.
Commenting on the sentencing of Connor Chapman and Thomas Waring, Wallasey councillors Lesley Rennie and Ian Lewis: "We welcome the sentences issued to those responsible for the senseless killing of Elle Edwards.
"Our thoughts today, like everyone in our local community, will be with Elle’s family, friends and colleagues. No family should experience what they have gone through since that fateful Christmas Eve.
"We would like to thank those members of our community who came forward with evidence, the officers of Merseyside Police who have worked tirelessly to secure this conviction and to the jury for their verdict.”
“The streets of Wallasey, and Wirral, are safer tonight thanks to their work.”
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