Judge blasts ‘callous’ thief who stole a murder victim’s phone as he lay dying then threw it away

A THIEF who stole a murder victim’s phone as he lay dying in the street was jailed yesterday.

Curtis Connick, 31, robbed Kevin Wilson, 17, after he was shot in the back by an unknown gunman.

But when he later realised it was connected to a police investigation, Connick threw the phone away, destroying potentially crucial evidence in the hunt for the man’s killer.

Jailing Connick yesterday at Liverpool crown court, Judge Alan Conrad QC said Connick’s actions had deprived “police of a most vital piece of evidence in a murder investigation.”

He said: “I reject the submission that you did not know he was at the least very seriously injured. For your own purpose you took his mobile phone, even taking a call on it.

“The theft of a phone from a person in Kevin Wilson’s position is about as low as it can get. To go and dispose of the phone knowing that there was an investigation proceeding is even worse.

“It is hard to believe someone can behave in such a callous manner.”

In an impact statement, Kevin’s mum Jane said: “It was a double blow to me to find out that while Kevin lay in the street dying that someone stole his phone from him. It is beyond words almost.

“The person who took his phone could have tried to help Kevin but they didn’t.

“If they had come clean later and admitted taking his phone or even just handed it in, it could have helped the police find Kevin’s killer. To this day no one has been prosecuted for Kevin’s murder.”