Elle Edwards’ ‘killer’ left chilling status on Facebook ‘after gunning down beautician with Skorpion machine gun’

THE man accused of gunning down a beautician in a brutal machine gun attack posted a message on social media after the killing calling for an end to gang violence, a court heard.

"Innocent" Elle Edwards, 26, was shot in the head outside the Lighthouse pub in the Wirral, Merseyside, on Christmas Eve.

She was gunned down by a Skorpion machine gun in a botched gangland hit, jurors have been told.

Yesterday, Liverpool Crown Court heard how Connor Chapman, who denies being the killer, posted a message on Facebook after the killing, in which he appeared to call for calm in the community.

Nigel Power KC, prosecuting, read out a lengthy message the alleged killer published on his Facebook page on December 28, four days after the shooting.

The status - which included slang and expletives - said: "I don't do dis face book s* bu[t] some times some one needs to stand up and get d movement moven.

"Give a f* wha eny one thinks of me postin this, ss getn out of hand and no one needs dis in there life or to happen to there family.

"That's one thing we all have in common we all have family and this could of been enyones tragedy. It's not that deep it's not unstoppable.

"Some real petty s goin on out ere. Let's see who wants to stand up and b a man n make not just your own life bu every ones around u a little Easyer to live every day cuz enough is enough.

"No one needs dis s*** in there life. No one's a gangsta and no one's bad.

"It's just fn stupid n pouintless and a waste of life. When ye sat in jail lookn 20 to life da s cuts deep believe me innocent or not SHARE n let's see wha happens cuz ino deep down no one wants dis n it can be
squashed if the right ppl get involved."

The message was posted in response to a status from a man called Jamie Duggan, who called for people to "put down these guns and knives".

Chapman said of his own post: "I don’t believe I could have defused any situation.

"Jamie is a well-respected person off the Ford estate, not necessarily on the Woodchurch Estate. All it takes sometimes is two people to come together, sit down, speak."

Mr Power asked whether Chapman was a "person of influence", to which he replied: "I’ve grew up on the estate and I know a lot of people off there. I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m a person of influence, I’m just somebody off the estate."

The defendant said he wanted to help "by trying to be in the middle and mediate between people". Mr Power asked of this: "Who were you going to mediate between?"

Chapman responded: "Jamie is clearly a person."

Mr Power continued: "Who were you going to mediate for on the Woodchurch estate?"

He said: "There’s certain things the jury haven’t been told and it doesn’t need to be brought up."

Mr Power then asked: "Who were you going to mediate with?"
Chapman replied: “The people who were having a feud with people off the Ford. I’m not prepared to name them."

Chapman denies Elle's murder and attempting to murder Kieran Salkeld and Jake Duffy.

He also denies wounding with intent against Liam Carry and Harry Loughran, assault occasioning actual bodily harm against Nicholas Speed and possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life.

Thomas Waring, 20, has pleaded not guilty to possession of a prohibited weapon and handling stolen goods.

The trial continues.