Family jailed for life for Snapchat doorstep murder

A mother, her son and daughter have been jailed for life for the murder of a man who was stabbed on his doorstep while one of them filmed it on Snapchat.

Paul Scott, 37, was attacked at his home on Peridot Close, Blackburn, on 22 June by Liam Donlin, while his sister Amie Clegg filmed the "revenge" stabbing, Lancashire Police said.

Donlin, 25, Clegg, 22, and their mother Joanne Maxwell, 44, were convicted of murder by a jury at Preston Crown Court following a 13-day trial.

Maxwell was given a 23-year minimum term, Donlin was given a 26-year minimum term, and Clegg was given a 20-year minimum term.

The trio, all of Lynwood Avenue, Darwen, had planned the attack as "revenge" after Mr Scott broke up "an altercation" involving Maxwell, police said.

They armed themselves with knives and went, at 03:30 BST, to Mr Scott's home, where Clegg lured him to the front door.

She then stepped back and began filming as he answered the door and was stabbed through the heart by Donlin.

Prior to the murder, Clegg and Maxwell had sent messages to associates threatening Mr Scott and those involved in the altercation.

Donlin, who was only released from prison shortly before the murder, also sent voice messages saying he was going to "attack, kill and chop up those responsible for assaulting his mother", the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Police received a report from the ambulance service that Mr Scott was unresponsive at his address on 22 June. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A call had been made by Clegg, a distant relative of Mr Scott, who lied about her and her brother's names. She told the ambulance service she did not know the address she was at or how Mr Scott had suffered his injuries.

Police said as the call handler talked them through resuscitation, she told them Mr Scott "was already dead and that she didn't know what the call handler wanted her to do for him".

Two knives were recovered from Mr Scott's sink, and a third knife was recovered from the car the trio had travelled in.

Mr Scott's blood was later found on one of the knives from the sink.

The siblings and their mother were arrested and charged with murder.

Donlin later pleaded guilty to manslaughter and possession of a bladed article and not guilty to murder, and Maxwell and Clegg both pleaded not guilty to murder.

Following the trial, a jury found all three guilty of murder, while Maxwell and Clegg were also found guilty of possession of a bladed article.

Following the sentencing, Det Supt John McNamara said: "It quickly became clear to myself and the team how special and loved Paul was.

"Liam Donlin may have been the one to stab Paul, but there were three people responsible for his murder.

"Paul died in a brutal, unexpected attack in the place he should have felt the safest, and in the company of those he should have been safe with – in his home, with his family.

"Paul's family have shown an incredible sense of strength throughout the course of this investigation."

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