A WOMAN sent the mother of murdered Southampton schoolgirl Lucy McHugh an offensive message a day after the killer of her 13-year-old daughter was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Chantelle Louise Cartwright, 33, used Facebook to threaten to “beat” Stacey White and encouraged her to “show police” the message – which also contained an offensive swearword.
The message was sent on July 20, the day after Lucy’s killer, Stephen Nicholson, was sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of her rape and murder.
Appearing at Southampton Magistrates’ Court, Cartwright pleaded guilty to one count of sending a grossly offensive or distressing electronic message.
She was fined £220, ordered to pay court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £32.
As previously reported in the Daily Echo, Lucy’s body was found with stab wounds at Southampton Sports Centre in July 2018, sparking a murder investigation.
Police later arrested Nicholson, 25, of no fixed address, on suspicion of her murder.
During a trial at Winchester Crown Court last July, jury members were told how Nicholson had secretly sexually abused the 13-year-old for a year while living as a lodger in the family’s home in Southampton.
The court heard Nicholson killed Lucy after she messaged him the night before to tell him she was pregnant – which was not the case.
Her body was discovered in a wooded area on July 26, 2018.
Home office pathologist Basil Purdue said Lucy had sustained multiple stab wounds, most likely from a kitchen knife.
Nicholson denied Lucy’s murder, but was found guilty following a four week trial, in which a jury heard how blood-stained clothing with DNA from both Nicholson and Lucy was found at Tanners Brook.
He was also found guilty of three counts of rape against Lucy and one count of sexual activity with another child, who was 14 at the time.
Nicholson was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 33 years.
Last month, two men were found not guilty of injuring Lucy McHugh’s stepfather outside Arrow News, also known as Shayona News, in Millbrook two days after Nicholson’s sentencing.
Charlie Whitemore, 22, of Waveney Green, and Wayne Grant, 27, of Byron Road, were cleared of inflicting grievous bodily harm on Richard Elmes.
Whitemore, who pleaded guilty to a separate count of battery, related to two kicks on Mr Elmes, was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work.
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