Three people who helped as two fugitive murderers attempted to flee justice have been sentenced.

Ross Neville, 32, Olivia Memmory, 22, and Michael Celmins, 32, all appeared before Carlisle Crown Court today, December 5, for their part in events following the death of 24 year old Ryan Kirkpatrick.

Detective Chief Superintendent Mick Bird was the senior investigating officer overseeing the case said: “We knew as we pursued Hull and Porter that there were people helping them in their attempt to evade justice.

“There is no doubt this assistance added to the grief and extreme distress already experienced by Mr Kirkpatrick’s loved ones after his tragic death.”

Kane Hull, 29, and Liam Porter, 33, were both jailed for life in October for the murder of Mr Kirkpatrick on September 18 last year.

The two men had gone on-the-run after Mr Kirkpatrick was stabbed to death on a night out in Carlyle’s Court.

All three of those sentenced gave assistance as the men tried to evade police but were also caught by detectives investigating the murder.

Assistance included having accommodation booked for them, accommodation provided for them and the supply of a vehicle.

A team of police officers working round-the-clock on the case tracked Hull and Porter to the Republic of Ireland, where they were arrested and brought back to face eventual imprisonment.

The arrests and investigations into the three facing court had continued alongside the murder enquiry.

Sentencing was delayed until the murder trial was over.

All three in court admitted the offence of assisting an offender.

• Memmory, of Cummersdale, was jailed for 19 months.
• Celmins, of Irthington, Carlisle, was jailed for 12 months.
• Neville, of Canonbie, Dumfries and Galloway, was sentenced to a community payback order where he will serve 200 hours unpaid work. He was fined £12,000 and must abide by a curfew.

Victoria Agulló, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West said: “The CPS worked with Cumbria police to build a strong case, including producing CCTV, phone messages and phone location data.

“The strength of the evidence led to all three accepting the part they played in assisting Hull and Porter to evade justice.

“Without the assistance provided by Neville, Celmins and Memmory, Hull and Porter may well have been arrested sooner.

“The CPS takes assisting offenders very seriously and will robustly prosecute those who help others to evade justice.”