Murderers’ friends guilty of helping them avoid capture

A GROUP of friends who helped to hide killers who murdered a 27-year-old man were convicted of perverting the course of justice this week.

Four years after Christopher Lemonius was beaten to death in a fight, it was discovered four friends had assisted the killers to varying degrees.

Following a three-week trial, a jury convicted Barry O’Loughlin, 46, Korine Forbes, 29, and Kimesha Bennett, 26, of perverting the course of justice in relation to the murder, which was committed in Oxford in 2017.

Sasha McMahon, 33, had previously admitted the offence prior to the trial.

A jury heard how on June 1 2017 the victim was murdered by a group of men, who beat him to death following a large fight and chase. In October 2018, four men were convicted of murder at Oxford Crown Court and they all received life sentences. Similarly, a fifth man was convicted of manslaughter and was sentenced to 10 years.

However, for a year-and-a-half until their arrest the group of friends helped the offenders to avoid capture.

The jury heard how they disposed of clothing and weapons, provided phones to be used by the killers, and transported them from the scene and later to different parts of the UK.

As a group, they also worked to facilitate hotel bookings as part of an attempt to ensure that the offenders were not arrested.

All four of the group are to be sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on July 9.

Det Con Kevin Smith, of Thames Valley Police, said: “Christopher’s death was incredibly violent and was carried out by dangerous individuals.

“However, this group of four people attempted to protect them, and frustrate the police investigation.”