Sentencing remarks: R v Lee Abbott
| Jurisdiction | England & Wales |
| Judgment Date | 21 February 2020 |
| Court | Crown Court |
1
R v LEE ABBOTT
SENTENCING REMARKS
1. Christian Thornton was 49 years old when he died. He was a family man, married
with three children, and the high regard and affection in which he was held, both
within his family and more widely, have been demonstrated by the large numbers in
daily attendance in the public gallery throughout this trial. I have read in full the
moving victim personal statements in this case. The victim’s family, and others, are
inconsolable. I wish to express my sorrow for their loss and my admiration for the
unfailing dignity with which they have conducted themselves, despite their grief and
the harrowing nature of some of the evidence.
2. Lee Abbott, it is now my task to sentence you for the murder of Christian Thornton
(Count 1) and for the associated offence of having an offensive weapon in a public
place (Count 3).
3. Christian Thornton was the landlord of the Hammer & Pincers PH in Widnes. In that
capacity, he had important safeguarding responsibilities in relation to his clientele, in
exercise of which he would, if necessary, remove and/or bar troublesome individuals
from the licensed premises. It is apparent from witnesses that he would stand no
nonsense and, although his good humour comes across in the evidence, I have no
doubt that he was firm when he needed to be – as he was in your case. Physically, he
was a well made man with an obvious presence. I doubt he was easily intimidated,
and certainly not by you.
4. Some time towards the end of July last year, following a visit by you to the Hammer
& Pincers, he took the decision to bar you – partly, it seems, on the strength of what
he himself observed, and partly because of a report (accurate or otherwise) that you
had been telling female customers that you had a knife.
5. When you next attended at the Hammer & Pincers, on the evening of Friday 2nd
August, he told you that you were barred, but (probably to protect the identity of
the customers on whose information he was acting) did not tell you the reason.
6. You left at that stage, but returned the following lunchtime in an angry and
aggressive mood. You remonstrated with Christian Thornton and, having failed to
persuade him to lift the ban, made a threat to burn his pub down. He reported that
threat to the Police, and to the local PubWatch group, and the latter voted to ban
you from all licensed premises in the area for a period of 12 months. You received
the notification letter on the Friday of that week (9th August).
7. On the Sunday (11th August), having been drinking heavily the night before, as well
as taking cocaine, and on the back of a heated argument with your then girlfriend,
you made the decision to travel to the Hammer & Pincers public house to confront
Christian Thornton. You called a taxi to take you there and, before setting off, you
armed yourself – I use the expression advisedly – with a large kitchen knife, which
you concealed in a small rucksack.
8. On entering the public house, you ran straight into Mr Thornton, who immediately
ordered you out. What happened was recorded on CCTV footage. The two of you
went into the car park area, where there was a verbal exchange between you, during
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