Crossbow murder trial: Witness denies sex with accused

Gerald Corrigan died three weeks after being shot outside his Anglesey home

A witness has denied having sex with a defendant on the night he is accused of killing a man with a crossbow.

Terence Whall, 39, of Bryngwran, Anglesey, denies murdering 74-year-old Gerald Corrigan of Gof Du, Anglesey.

Mr Whall had told police he was having sex with Thomas Barry Williams at the time.

But Mr Williams told Mold Crown Court their friendship had "never" been sexual and denied seeing the defendant that night.

Mr Corrigan suffered two holes in his stomach and organ damage during the attack at his home on 19 April 2019.

He died in hospital three weeks later, after developing sepsis.

Mr Williams told the court he had met Mr Whall, a sports therapist, about five years ago when he was referred for a chest issue, and began receiving weekly massage therapy for a few months.

Both men had a "keen interest in martial arts", and became friends.

"After a while I started helping him with self-defence DVDs," he told prosecutor Peter Rouch QC.

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They met to train around once a week and would go out to eat as well as go walking and biking, but Mr Williams said their contact "dwindled" when he began seeing his partner, Susie Holmes.

On the night of the shooting, Mr Williams said he had dropped her at work in Conwy at about 21:50 BST on 18 April before meeting his cannabis dealer in an Anglesey lay-by and smoking with him for half an hour.

He then went to Newborough on Anglesey to his parents' house and talked to his sister until about 01:00 on 19 April, before going to Llanddwyn beach for an hour and travelling back to Conwy.

Asked if he saw Mr Whall during that time, he replied: "No, I didn't."

Terence Whall (second left) denies murder

Mr Williams told the court he had broken his mobile phone during an argument with Ms Holmes that evening and it was just about useable.

Cross-examined by David Elias QC, defending, he said he had thrown the phone away a couple of days later without calling or texting anyone in the meantime.

Mr Williams said he first knew about the suggestion he and Mr Whall were having a sexual relationship about two weeks ago.

However, the court heard in the summer of 2019 he went to seek advice from the legal firm representing Mr Whall.

Mr Elias said Mr Williams had told that firm he had engaged in sexual activity with Mr Whall.

"No, I listened to them telling me," he said.

Asked why he had chosen that firm, Mr Williams said he had heard they were a good firm.

"It wasn't that you had information to give them?" asked Mr Elias.

"No," he said.

This image of Gerald Corrigan's house shows where North Wales Police believe the shooter was located

Mr Williams declined to comment at first on whether he had said anything to the solicitors about the allegations he was having a sexual relationship with Mr Whall.

Pressed on the matter, he said he was "not sure what I'd been thinking with all of it" and everything that had gone on "between me and Terry".

Call data taken from Mr Williams' phone, was presented to the court, showing several calls between him and Mr Whall on 18 April.

Asked what they were talking about, he said "when are we training....what are you up to...."

Asked about one four-minute call, Mr Elias asked: "It was about meeting up that night, wasn't it?"

"No," he replied, adding that he could not remember what it was about.

The court heard a text message was sent from Mr Williams's phone at about 12:15 on 19 April. Within half an hour of that message being sent, a new phone was operational.

Mr Elias said it showed the phone he said was damaged was actually working.

Asked by Mr Elias if it would surprise him that Mr Whall's number was the third most popular number called from the mobile phone he got rid of, he said: "It would actually, yeah."

'Alibi needed'

Re-examined by Peter Rouch QC, for the prosecution, Mr Williams said he had no memory of what was said during the meeting with Mr Whall's solicitors.

He said Mr Whall had told him he "just needed an alibi" but did not say what for.

He said the solicitors were "suggesting stuff" and it was easier for him to "just agree".

Asked if he had walked along the coastal path with Mr Whall on 18-19 April for a sexual liaison in front of Gof Du, he said: "No."

Mr Whall also denies a charge of perverting the course of justice, along with three others, amid allegations they conspired together to set fire to a vehicle later found burnt out.

The other three - Martin Roberts, 34, of James Street in Bangor, Darren Jones, 41, of the Bryn Ogwen estate at Penrhosgarnedd and Gavin Jones, 36, of High Street, Bangor - also deny the charges.

The trial continues.