Joss Stone murder plot pair appeal against sentences

Three judges at the Court of Appeal in London yesterday heard challenges by Kevin Liverpool and Junior Bradshaw – both originally from Huddersfield – who were found guilty of conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to rob following a three-week trial at Exeter Crown Court last year.

Liverpool was given a life sentence, with a minimum term of 10 years and eight months – the least he must serve before becoming eligible to apply for parole – while Bradshaw was jailed for 18 years.

Judge Francis Gilbert, the Recorder of Exeter, branded Liverpool a danger to the public and said he targeted Stone to get more than £1m from her.

He told him: ‘’You intended to rob her and kill her and dump her body in the river, according to your words, and then leave the country with your accomplice, Junior Bradshaw.

“You had no reason to target her except that she was a wealthy young woman as she was a successful singer.”

Liverpool, 36, and Bradshaw, 33, drove from Manchester to Stone’s home in mid-Devon with an arsenal of weapons to rob and kill her.

The flatmates, of St Stephen’s Close, Longsight, Manchester, had scouted Stone’s home and were on their way to attack her armed with a sword, three knives, two hammers, masks, gloves and a hosepipe when they were arrested in Cullompton in June 2011.

Suspicious residents had called the police, having spotted Liverpool and Bradshaw’s badly-damaged Fiat Punto in the area.

The pair told police they were lost and were trying to get to Bristol but officers became wary and quickly discovered the cache in the boot.

Both men were present in the dock of the court for the proceedings yesterday.

After hearing submissions from QCs on their behalf, Lady Justice Macur announced that the court would give its decision on the appeals on Tuesday.