Murder-accused took vigilante route over rape claim, trial told

A antheral who changeable and threw acerb implicit a father-of-two has told a tribunal helium and his woman decided to "go down the vigilante route" aft she told him she had been raped.

Michael Hillier, 39, denies murdering Liam Smith but admits manslaughter.

The 38-year-old's assemblage was recovered adjacent his location successful Wigan, connected 24 November 2022.

Mr Hillier's girlfriend, Rachel Fulstow, 37, who met Mr Smith connected a Tinder day successful 2019, denies execution and perverting the people of justice.

Giving grounds astatine Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, Mr Hillier said helium met Ms Fulstow connected the dating app Hinge successful November 2020 and became "completely besotted" with her.

Mr Hillier, who told the assemblage helium was "concerned successful the accumulation and organisation of a large-scale cannabis operation", said his spouse "confided" successful him successful January past twelvemonth that she had been "graphically raped" by Mr Smith astatine a hotel.

He said helium felt powerfully that "a transgression arsenic heinous arsenic rape" should beryllium reported to the police, but helium said Ms Fulstow felt she would not beryllium believed.

He added: "We decided jointly betwixt the 2 of america that we would woody with the substance ourselves and question justness ourselves and spell down the vigilante route.

"It's not astonishing fixed lone 1.6% of each reported rapes marque it to court."

He said helium asked Ms Fulstow to archer him each the details of the incidental if helium was to transportation retired an onslaught connected Mr Smith.

"I request to cognize each nitty gritty spot of item truthful the onslaught tin beryllium justified," helium told the court.

Mr Hillier, of Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, said his friends knew idiosyncratic had "tasked" him with "harming a rapist", though they did not each cognize Ms Fulstow was involved.

He described a person trying to speech him retired of it connected 1 occasion, erstwhile Ms Fulstow was besides present.

He said: "Rachel said, I can't retrieve the nonstop words, but she was saying she understands wherefore I was doing it, afloat supports me, and what I was doing was a conscionable and noble cause."

Ms Fulstow, of Andrew Drive, York, antecedently told the proceedings that she met Mr Smith successful September 2019 aft they connected done the dating app Tinder.

She said they had sex, which she said was not consensual but she did not respect it arsenic a rape.

She denies persuading her spouse to transportation retired the attack.

Mr Hillier told the assemblage helium had struggled with intelligence wellness issues and was addicted to diazepam and sleeping tablets.