A former couple who plotted the murder of a father-of-two before he was shot dead and doused in acid have been sentenced to life imprisonment. Michael Hillier, 39, and Rachel Fulstow, 37, were found guilty of murdering Liam Smith, 38, in Wigan, Greater Manchester.
Hillier shot Mr Smith in the face outside his home in Kilburn Drive, Shevington, on November 20 last year, then threw sulphuric acid over his body. The pair had planned the attack over ten months, with Hillier claiming he was acting in revenge after Fulstow alleged Mr Smith had raped her years earlier during a Tinder date. Fulstow did not report the allegation to police.
After the murder, the couple went on a two-week holiday to Jamaica. Hillier was arrested upon their return, while Fulstow initially posed as a witness but later became a suspect after lying to officers. Following a six-week trial at Minshull Street Crown Court, a jury found them both guilty of murder and Fulstow guilty of perverting the course of justice.
Sentencing at Manchester Crown Court on August 23, Judge Green handed Hillier a life sentence with a minimum term of 33 years and Fulstow a life sentence with a minimum term of 30 years. The judge noted the significant planning and premeditation, the use of a converted gun, and the aggravating factor of using acid to cause suffering. He described Mr Smith as 'a devoted dad, a hard working family man'.
During the hearing, Hillier shouted at the victim's family, 'Your boy's a rapist', prompting angry responses from the public gallery. Mr Smith's sister retorted, 'You don't meet a rapist for dinner the next day.'
