PRESS RELEASE : Pair who helped Carlisle murderers flee have sentences increased [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Attorney General on 14 February 2023.
Two offenders who assisted the murderers of Ryan Kirkpatrick flee the country after he was fatally stabbed have been ordered to serve longer prison sentences.
Two offenders who assisted the killers of Ryan Kirkpatrick in 2021 have received longer prison sentences under the Unduly Lenient Scheme.
Ross Neville, 32, has been sentenced to an immediate prison term of 1 year and 10 months. He was originally given a one-year community payback order, which included 200 hours unpaid work.
Michael Celmins, 32, will now serve 2 years in prison. He was originally sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment.
In 2021 Kane Hull and Liam Porter murdered Ryan Kirkpatrick, 24 at the time, in Carlisle, Cumbria. They then fled the country to evade arrest.
Following the murder, the pair were assisted in fleeing the UK by Neville and Celmins.
On the night Mr Kirkpatrick was murdered, Neville provided Kane and Porter with accommodation and helped them travel out of Carlisle.
Celmins provided a stolen car to Hull and Porter. Phone evidence showed that Celmins was clearly aware of the murder of Mr. Kirkpatrick and knew that Hull was wanted by police.
Neville and Celmins were originally sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court on 5 December 2022. They were both charged with assisting an offender (murder).
Following the sentencing, the Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson KC MP referred their sentences to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Scheme.
Speaking after the hearing, the Solicitor General said:
Today I wish to express my sympathies to the family of Ryan Kirkpatrick.
Ross Neville and Michael Celmins shamefully assisted two brutal murderers flee the UK in a cowardly attempt to evade justice. It was clear to me that the original sentences given to the pair were not appropriate, so I welcome the decision of the Court to hand down sentences which better reflect the crimes that have taken place.
Olivia Memmory, 23, also helped Hull and Porter following the murder. Her original sentence of 19 months’ imprisonment remains unchanged.
