UK - Libby Squire, 21, last seen outside Welly club, Hull, 31 Jan 2019 #23

[jamjim]

11:26
Defence turns to Libby's emotional state at the time of her disappearance

Mr Saxby said: “Where is the evidence we look for on her character? Family, friends and agreed facts. Then the prosecution’s case on her character.

“Let me remind you how they put it when they opened the case: ‘Libby had struggles with her mental health of a type that are sadly not uncommon for the modern teenager and had self-harmed in the past, but at the time she died that was well behind her. She coped well and wasn’t depressed.’

“The prosecution’s plan in saying this? To play things down and reassure you that what happened to her didn’t have anything to do with mental health, and to reassure you she didn’t take her own life, and to reassure you her life wasn’t lost when drunk, emotional and upset and indifferent to her own safety and as a cry for help she fell into the River Hull."

Libby Squire murder trial live: Defence gives closing statement

 

[Zazie]

11:17
Relowicz would have had 'ample opportunity' to assault someone before - but didn't, defence says

Mr Saxby said: “As of February 1, 2019, Pawel Relowicz had been living in Hull for a number of years. For a large proportion of this time he had been living in or near Raglan Street, in a student area. His problem wouldn’t have suddenly appeared and he admits he has committed other acts of voyeurism not detected by police.
“Is the prosecution seriously saying that in those eight years or so he hasn’t had a chance to physically or sexually assault someone? Of course not - there would have been ample opportunity.
“Looking at the evidence, and asking yourselves the awkward questions - what do these prove? If he is the person they say why is there no evidence of him having done this and that? Why do we not see signs of this in the internet or whatever?”

Libby Squire murder trial live: Defence gives closing statement

This is a weird argument, don't you think? They are saying that he can't be a rapist and murderer in this case because he never took the opportunity to rape and murder anyone in the past? His DNA was found in Libby - he clearly did assault someone on this occasion, if not in the past.

 

[ChiCubs2016]

Because it is his job to act for the defence.

I know this. It just irks me.

 

[HullGirl72]

Not an entirely useful contribution from me but thought it was still worth a post. I spoke with a friend of mine last night who is a police officer with Humberside Police. I don't know if he was involved or based locally at the time of Libby disappearance and the investigation but I asked him his opinion on what he thought about the murder charge. He said he thinks 100% PR killed her and he'd bet his house on it.

One of my friends is a Prison Officer at Hull and he said PR didn’t bat an eyelid when told Libby’s body had been found.
His face remained exactly the same
No expression whatsoever

 

[Lyall0814]

Not an entirely useful contribution from me but thought it was still worth a post. I spoke with a friend of mine last night who is a police officer with Humberside Police. I don't know if he was involved or based locally at the time of Libby disappearance and the investigation but I asked him his opinion on what he thought about the murder charge. He said he thinks 100% PR killed her and he'd bet his house on it.

Let's hope he hasn't bet his house on it

 

[jamjim]

11:29
Defence barrister turns to the statement from Libby's mum

Mr Saxby said: “Of course there is suicide but something shorter than that. The cry for help, the terrible crying for help which involves not the consideration to take her own life. The prosecution say not to worry about that. Let’s look at the evidence shall we?

“Agreed fact 1: March 28, 2013. A statement read to you from her mother: ‘Aged around 11, Libby suffered with glandular fever and had a real effect on her and I would say she wasn’t her normal self after. During her teenage years she began to suffer with mental health issues and I always worried and often feared I would one day find her dead in her bedroom.’

“Not to worry, usual teenage issues, the prosecution submit.”

Mr Saxby is going back to the statement from Libby’s mum, which also said: “‘Because of these problems, I never really thought I would have Libby for the rest of her life.”

He said: “Sorry, but mental health problems not uncommon for a teenager?

Libby Squire murder trial live: Defence gives closing statement

 

[Steve2021]

Re lack of Google searches etc, I take Dotta's point, damned if he did damned if he didn't. It is bizarre whatever happened that night he wasn't sufficiently curious to ever look up online anything about Libby's disappearance. Maybe whatever happened he'd moved on from it and just wasn't remotely interested any more. Or maybe he did but the data wasn't stored on his device, or maybe whatever he looked at wasn't out of the ordinary so wasn't adduced in evidence because it didn't suggest anything other.

It'd be interesting to know if he left his phone at home every night he was offending, or just this night.

 

[NorthernSoul]

This is a weird argument, don't you think? They are saying that he can't be a rapist and murderer in this case because he never took the opportunity to rape and murder anyone in the past? His DNA was found in Libby - he clearly did assault someone on this occasion, if not in the past.

I'm not sure the defence has done a great job so far. By raking over everything PR has done previously it just throws it all to the forefront of everyone's minds. And now seems to be going for the idea that Libby committed suicide which I find difficult to believe. MOO Have managed to figure out what the MOO means now! I hope!

 

[jamjim]

11:31
Libby had thought about throwing herself into a river before, defence says

Mr Saxby said: “Her mum provided police with additional information. ‘Libby had a fear of water from a young age. I know she would never voluntarily put herself in water.’

“Two things: It follows that if she fell in, she would have little chance of surviving. Second: This question of water and aversion to it. Agreed fact 11: 'Thought of throwing herself in river in village.'

“A throwaway remark that you are now asked to approach that. Where to start? It is, isn’t it, a really unusual way to consider taking one’s life? For her to have conveyed to medics and doctors.

"Isn’t it something of a coincidence that some six years later here we are in court with a man on trial for murder, his fate resting on whether it is possible his victim may have taken her own life by falling into her own river, reckless of her own safety, a cry for help?

“A pathologist saying she may have drowned on a night she felt abandoned by her friends. She is somebody with a history of serious mental health issues. These are coincidences that the prosecution dreamed.”

Libby Squire murder trial live: Defence gives closing statement

 

[VicBlazey]

This is a weird argument, don't you think? They are saying that he can't be a rapist and murderer in this case because he never took the opportunity to rape and murder anyone in the past? His DNA was found in Libby - he clearly did assault someone on this occasion, if not in the past.

I completely agree with you. Nobody is a rapist and murderer until they do it for the first time.. his previous sexual deviance is a precursor in many murder cases before the perpetrator escalates.

Edit - spelling

 

[Zazie]

I know the defence is doing their job, but jeezo, I didn't think they were going to play the mental health card to this extent. Those comments about Libby being 'indifferent to her own safety" and "reckless of her own safety", suggesting she didn't care whether she lived or died that night.

 

[Skigh]

He seems to be emphasising the least likely cause of Libby being in the river.

 

[NorthernSoul]

I know the defence is doing their job, but jeezo, I didn't think they were going to play the mental health card to this extent. Those comments about Libby being 'indifferent to her own safety" and "reckless of her own safety", suggesting she didn't care whether she lived or died that night.

Agree. We seem to be seeing a different Libby being presented. Not the tipsy student but someone with severe mental health issues. The one thing that does spring to my mind with regards to this is the amount of witnesses who described Libby screaming. To me it seemed strange; I've seen a lot of drunks and they do a lot of strange things but constant screaming has always seemed odd to me. And I guess the mental health history and her mum's statements are relevant here.

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

I know the defence is doing their job, but jeezo, I didn't think they were going to play the mental health card to this extent. Those comments about Libby being 'indifferent to her own safety" and "reckless of her own safety", suggesting she didn't care whether she lived or died that night.

Horrible comments. She was almost home. Even after falling and going astray here and there she was still headed for home. Until PR stepped in, he was the only one who had no regard for her safety that night. JMO

 

[jamjim]

11:45
Defence outlines chronology of Libby's previous struggles with her mental health

Mr Saxby has said the agreed facts of the case state:

October 2013 - Libby had researched methods of suicide

2014 - Libby reported anxiety most days which could reinforce beliefs of life being pointless

March 2014 - Libby was reassessed by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

April 2017 - More reassessments and self-diagnosed with unstable personality disorder, which the medic agreed with.

April 2017 - Likelihood of acts. Suicide attempt, changed mind and called parents for help.

May 2017 - Reports long-standing depression and reported feelings of low mood if she feels abandoned and ‘loses her mind.’ Said she would not do anything to harm herself but described herself as not a nice person to be around.

June 2017 - A&E after an overdose. Final lines are: “She starts feeling suicidal if someone says something to her she doesn’t like. Reported she got drunk and attempted to kill herself."

Libby Squire murder trial live: Defence gives closing statement

 

[jamjim]

11:49
Defence questions Libby's history of self-harming

The court has heard how Libby was said in her medical notes to have been "looking forward to university".

Mr Saxby said: “I’m not here to sweep things under the carpet. She visited her GP up to June 2018 but there was no complaint of her mental health. Absolutely accept that. Something her mum said I want to place before you too. The worst period of Libby’s life was between 15 and 18 and with support she was able to move forward and transform feelings of self-harm.”

The statement said: ‘Prior to her death I know she hadn’t self-harmed for eight months and had not had thoughts of suicide since her teenage years.”

Mr Saxby said: “What about her boyfriend? He said: ‘I think she had three suicide attempts before we got together. She also told me she had taken an overdose in 2017. About eight months ago [June 2018] Libby and I were on a night out. I put her in a taxi, I got home she called me and was crying and said she had hurt herself and was covered in blood. I went there and said she was upset because I hadn’t gone home with her. She was emotional because she had a drink I think.”

Libby Squire murder trial live: Defence gives closing statement

 

[HullGirl72]

11:49
Defence questions Libby's history of self-harming

The court has heard how Libby was said in her medical notes to have been "looking forward to university".

Mr Saxby said: “I’m not here to sweep things under the carpet. She visited her GP up to June 2018 but there was no complaint of her mental health. Absolutely accept that. Something her mum said I want to place before you too. The worst period of Libby’s life was between 15 and 18 and with support she was able to move forward and transform feelings of self-harm.”

The statement said: ‘Prior to her death I know she hadn’t self-harmed for eight months and had not had thoughts of suicide since her teenage years.”

Mr Saxby said: “What about her boyfriend? He said: ‘I think she had three suicide attempts before we got together. She also told me she had taken an overdose in 2017. About eight months ago [June 2018] Libby and I were on a night out. I put her in a taxi, I got home she called me and was crying and said she had hurt herself and was covered in blood. I went there and said she was upset because I hadn’t gone home with her. She was emotional because she had a drink I think.”

Libby Squire murder trial live: Defence gives closing statement

We haven’t heard much of the arguments at all have we?!

 

[jamjim]

11:51
Defence outlines factors that had 'pressurised her fragile mental state'

Mr Saxby said: “Back then was June 2018. What else did he say? ‘I think she had a small relapse just before the New Year as I saw some small cuts on her arm.’

“In truth it is hardly a surprise given the background. Was this ‘the best place' she’d been in for ages? University can be stressful for any young person. Relationships, adult life, tensions, people, a degree, alcohol, being exhausted. Anything liable to put pressure on her fragile mental state?

“Her house and her housemates. In 2018 she had fallen out with Erin, they were not speaking to each other. The sort of issue that is likely to have unsettled her. Then her degree and we saw she was ‘bothered about her grades.’

"January 28, 2019 - Chloe Wise told her she was moving home at the end of the academic year. According to her, Libby’s reaction was fine, but we knew she wasn’t because of something she said to Rebecca Woodward on Wellesley Avenue in the early hours the next day."

Libby Squire murder trial live: Defence gives closing statement

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

What a wonderful and strong person Libby was, to overcome all these struggles and progress in her life the way she did. She had a great future ahead. It really brings home what PR destroyed. JMO.

 

[RubyLee87]

I hate the way they’re using Libby’s mental health struggles against her. It’s heartbreaking and she’s not here to defend herself. She had been targeted and raped by a sex offender before she was found dead. This is not someone sad who just wandered down to the river to kill themselves of their own accord. I know he’s a defence lawyer but the system is so wrong.