Verdict due at 10 am tomorrow in perverting the course of justice case

Wednesday 23 March 2016

A verdict in the case of five teenagers charged with perverting the course of justice over the death of Morgan Huelin is expected tomorrow morning.

The five – who cannot be named because of their age – all deny the charge they face, and one of them is denying further counts of possessing drugs and indecent images of children.

Over five days of evidence last week, in which two of the defendants gave evidence and were cross-examined, the Youth Court has heard that the five were at a party on 4 July, and came back to one of the defendant’s homes for some drinks before going to bed.

The boys admit that they moved Morgan from the garage where he had slept the morning after they woke up – the case hinges on whether, as they say, they moved him to avoid getting into trouble with their parents, or whether, as the prosecution say, they moved him to avoid getting into trouble with the police.

Morgan died of respiratory failure brought on by drug use – a post mortem examination found he had morphine, codeine and a former “legal high” called Etizolam in his system.

Evidence from passers-by, paramedics and police officers heard by the court shows that the boys gave conflicting and evasive answers when questioned about what had gone on when asked on the morning of his death.

One of the boys said that they had found Morgan in the road, where they had carried him 160 yards from the house.

The five were originally arrested on suspicion of murder – all but one of them gave “no comment” answers when interviewed by the police in the hours and weeks after the incident.

Morgan had consumed drugs at the party, and evidence was heard that he consumed more when he got back to the house.

One boy left early the following morning and checked on Morgan, who had slept in the garage while the other boys slept in a bedroom upstairs. When he was checked at around 6 am, Morgan appeared to be sleeping normally.

When the other boys woke up at around 9.15 am he had drifted into unconsciousness – there were conflicting reports as to whether there was foam coming out of his mouth and nose.