Electrician brutally murdered was ‘denied chance to clear his name’

An electrician targeted in a “brutal and cold-blooded” murder was denied the chance to clear his name when his killers accused him of rape, his family has said.

Father-of-two Liam Smith, 38, was shot in the face and then covered in acid after being lured outside his home in Wigan, Greater Manchester, on November 24 last year.

Rachel Fulstow, 37, who met Mr Smith through dating app Tinder three years earlier, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 30 years at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court on Thursday after being found guilty of his murder and perverting the course of justice.

Her ex-partner Michael Hillier, 39, was jailed for at least 33 years for the murder after telling the jury he carried out the attack to “seek justice” for Fulstow, who told him she was raped by Mr Smith at a York hotel in September 2019.

Mr Smith’s family shouted “monsters” as the pair were taken down to the cells.

His sister Gemma Smith called Fulstow a “lying, murdering bitch”, adding: “Liam has done nothing wrong. He’s completely innocent.”

In a statement read outside court after the sentencing, Mr Smith’s family said: “His name has been tainted throughout this trial and that wasn’t him. It is not our Liam. He has been denied the chance to publicly clear his name.”

Sentencing Hillier and Fulstow, Judge Maurice Greene said whatever happened between Fulstow and Mr Smith was the motive for the attack.

He said: “It was decided between you, you would exact your own vengeance.

“The two of you decided to act as judge, jury and executioner.”

He described the murder as “brutal and cold-blooded”.

Addressing university graduate Fulstow, the judge said it was “almost incomprehensible” that she acted the way she did.

He added: “Whatever happened between you and Liam Smith can never be justification for what you and Michael Hillier did.”

Cannabis dealer Hillier, of Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, admitted driving to Mr Smith’s home in Kilburn Drive, Shevington, and waiting outside in a Mitsubishi Shogun with fake number plates.

At about 6.40pm, he lured Mr Smith out of the house and shot him with a modified shotgun before pouring acid and soda crystals over him, the court was told.

Fulstow claimed to know nothing of the attack until Hillier arrived at her house in Andrew Drive, York, and said she was too “petrified” to go to police.

But the court was told that in the days after the killing the couple went on holiday to Jamaica together.

Detective Chief Inspector Gina Brennand said the “grotesquely violent” killing was “meticulously planned” by the couple.

She added: “Whilst I could tell Liam’s family that I had found those responsible for his murder, I had to tell them in the worst of all circumstances, where his name was besmirched and tainted.

“Liam was unable to defend himself throughout this process which made it even more heartbreaking for his family.

“Whilst sat in court, neither defendant showed any signs of remorse, nor have they recognised the magnitude of what they’ve done and the impact on Liam’s family and ultimately his two boys.

“I’m relieved that the jury were compelled by the prosecution case, seeing through their lies and deceit and ultimately leading to a very long prison sentence.”