Elle Edwards: Row drew gunman to pub before shooting, jury told

Elle Edwards was killed outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey Village, Merseyside, on 24 December

A row involving the intended target of a gunman, who killed a woman outside a pub on Christmas Eve, drew the shooter to the premises, a court has heard.

Elle Edwards died after being shot at the Lighthouse in Wallasey Village, Merseyside, on 24 December.

Liverpool Crown Court heard the 26-year-old's killer went there because a woman who had a drink poured over her in a row with his target Kieran Salkeld told him the man was present.

Connor Chapman, 23, has denied murder.

The court has previously been told Ms Edwards was an "innocent bystander" and the gunman had been targeting Mr Salkeld and his associate Jake Duffy because of a feud between groups on the Woodchurch and Beechwood estates, which lie on either side of the M53 in Wirral.

The jury was told a woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had an altercation with Mr Salkeld in the pub earlier in the evening and a drink was poured over her.

Mark Rhind KC, defending Mr Chapman, said the prosecution theory was the woman had "disclosed the presence of either Kieran Salkeld or Jake Duffy or both of them to somebody, and that's come into Connor Chapman's knowledge".

Under cross-examination by Mr Rhind, Det Con Steve Duke agreed there was no evidence of a direct connection between the woman and Mr Chapman.

Mr Chapman is alleged to have driven from his home in Woodchurch to the pub

The jury was told following the altercation, the woman rang a man, who also cannot be named, shortly after 20:15 GMT and the man then attempted to call Mr Chapman twice.

The calls did not connect, but the man did get through to Thomas Waring, who has been charged with assisting an offender.

Mr Chapman is alleged to have driven from his home in Woodchurch to the pub in a stolen Mercedes A Class at 20:44, eight minutes after the second attempt by the man to call him.

The court heard the woman left the pub before making the calls, then returned and left again, after more drinks were thrown at her.

Connor Chapman, 23, denies murder and seven other charges

CCTV footage showed her walk past the stolen Mercedes used by the gunman, which parked on Green Lane opposite the pub, at 21:05.

Det Con Duke agreed she could not be seen acknowledging the person in the Mercedes, who the prosecution alleged was the defendant.

Mr Chapman has denied the murder of Ms Edwards, two counts of attempted murder and three counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

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He has also denied possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life.

Co-defendant Mr Waring, 20, of Private Drive, Barnston, Wirral, has denied possessing a prohibited weapon and assisting an offender by helping Mr Chapman to dispose of the car.

The trial continues.