Connor Chapman, the man responsible for the murder of Wirral beautician Elle Edwards, is the subject of a new Channel 5 documentary exploring the investigation. In December 2022, Elle was killed when Chapman opened fire with a Skorpion submachine gun towards gang rivals outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey on Christmas Eve.
The killer was arrested on January 10, 2023, at a Tesco in Newtown, Powys, Wales, after fleeing to a holiday home following Elle's murder. In July 2023, he was found guilty of murder, attempted murder, and firearm offences at Liverpool Crown Court. He received a life sentence with a minimum term of 48 years.
Chapman's Criminal History
His name was known to police for the best part of a decade. Growing up on the Woodchurch Estate and mostly living with his grandparents, Chapman attended Woodchurch High School but left before sitting his GCSEs. He was first hauled before the courts as long ago as 2014, when he would have been only aged around 14, for shoplifting.
At one stage during his trial at Liverpool Crown Court in 2023, his own barrister, Mark Rhind KC, read out his criminal record in full. It took several minutes to reach the end of the list. Burglary, section 47 assault and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place in 2015. In 2016, the youth was before the criminal justice system for being found on an enclosed premises and being carried in a stolen car.
Then, in 2017, came theft of a motor vehicle, possession of cocaine and breaching a criminal behaviour order which banned him from parts of the Wirral. In 2018, he was rapped for possession of cannabis and possession of a bladed article in a public place.
Escape Attempts and Further Convictions
Also in 2018, the same court heard police spotted a stolen Audi S3 on New Hey Road in Woodchurch and attempted to stop the car, but it drove away at speed. The then 18-year-old was behind the wheel and would go on to reach speeds of up to 60mph in a 30mph zone as he tried to make good his escape. Chapman travelled the wrong way around a roundabout and careered into oncoming traffic before smashing into a kerb on Cherry Tree Road, causing him to ditch the vehicle and run. When he was found hiding in nearby undergrowth by PCs, he simply replied: "I'm waiting for my mate."
He had already amassed 14 convictions for 30 offences by this time. Lionel Greig, defending, told the court at the time: "He is influenced by older peers and he has struggled with his own health problems, including ADHD and other medical prognoses." Chapman - then of Woodland Road - admitted dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified and breaching a criminal behaviour order. He was handed eight months in a young offenders' institute and banned from driving for two years and four months.
Chapman would go on to add counts of failing to comply with a community order and failing to surrender custody to his rap sheet then received 10 months in January 2020 for handling stolen goods, possession of a bladed article in a public place, driving while disqualified and breaching a CBO.
From Fugitive to Murder
He next appeared in the news for a court appearance in 2021, when he was described as a "nuisance ASBO yob". By now aged 20 and with his record stretched further to 19 convictions for 43 offences, Chapman was found shacked up in a hotel with his girlfriend after going on the run from police and spending three months at large. Released from the 2020 sentence in June that year on licence, by August he had "effectively dropped out of contact with his offender manager". A recall to custody was issued in September that year, the fugitive having failed to return to his hostel on Great Howard Street in Liverpool city centre and "dropped off the radar".
A letter would be sent to his nan's home on the Isle of Man, his last known address, demanding that he surrender within five days. But Chapman would belatedly be traced to a hotel on Holland Road in Wallasey, being arrested during a raid in the early hours of December, 9. Chapman pleaded guilty to remaining unlawfully at large following a recall to custody. Appearing via video link to HMP Altcourse, he was jailed for four months.
Chapman was released from a spell behind bars in summer 2022. His first child had been born while he was inside, and - with a second daughter on the way - he would tell a jury that he felt the urge to turn over a new leaf and grow up. He did so by turning away from the anti-social behaviour of his younger years and turning to dealing cocaine, as well as burgling a house in Noctorum and stealing two electric motorbikes. But by far his most serious and devastating offending was yet to come.
On December 24 2022, amid a dispute between organised crime groups based on the Woodchurch and Beechwood estates, Chapman armed himself with a Skorpion submachine gun. He lay in wait for Kieran Salkeld and Jake Duffy, members of the rival gang, outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey for three hours. Shortly before midnight, an opportunity presented itself. Spotting the two men outside having a cigarette, Chapman opened fire 12 times. Both were seriously injured, but neither were killed. A wholly innocent victim was, however. By chance, Elle had been stood beside Salkeld at this exact moment and was struck in the head by two of the bullets. The popular beautician died aged only 26.
Detective Superintendent Paul Grounds, who led the investigation into her murder, said: "Connor Chapman is a ruthless and callous individual, and we've seen that by the sheer determination of what has occurred at the Lighthouse public house. He indiscriminately discharged that gun with no thought or care for anybody. Throughout his custody period and during the court trial, he's shown absolutely no remorse for his actions. In the words of Elle's father Tim, they have been given a life sentence. Elle was a young, 26-year-old woman with a full life ahead of her. She was the person who would light up the room. She was caring and compassionate for a family who loved her dearly and no Christmas, birthday, Mother's Day or Father's Day or any other family celebration will be the same for the Edwards family. I sincerely hope that, during his lengthy custodial period, the enormity of what Connor Chapman has done will stay with him for the rest of his life."
Murder Scene: The Incident Room airs tonight at 8pm on Channel 5.
