A mum is accused of being ‘the director and producer of that violent movie ” after she and her two kids allegedly ‘worked as a team’ to plan and murder a man on his doorstep, a jury has been told.
Joanne Maxwell, 47, her son Liam Donlin, 25, and daughter Amie Clegg, 22, visited victim Paul Scott at his home in Peridot Close, Blackburn, in the early hours of June 22, 2025.
The court heard how Donlin stabbed him in the chest when they arrived and said: “Go on, you little f***ing rat”, as he plunged the knife into Scott’s heart.
Footage of the incident, which was filmed by Clegg, was played to the jury at Preston Crown Court yesterday (January 28), reports Lancashire Live.
(Image: Amie Clegg/Facebook)
Donlin has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and possession of a bladed article but denies murder. His mum Maxwell, also admits manslaughter but denies murder and possession of a bladed article. Clegg, his sister, denies all three charges.
While closing the case for the prosecution, Richard Little KC told the court that the three acted as a team to seek retribution for an incident concerning Maxwell the previous year.
The night before the Scott was fatally stabbed. Maxwell and Clegg had been out together in Blackburn before they called on Donlin and all took a cab back to the home they shared in Linwood Avenue, Darwen.
The prosecution told the court that four knives from the block in their kitchen were taken as Donlin sent messages saying: “Bro, some kid has put it on my mum. I need a ting (firearm) G.’
They then travelled together to Peridot Close in Maxwell’s car. On the journey, Donlin sent a voice messages saying he was going to ‘chop this kid up now’, which the prosecution allege would have been in earshot of his mum and sister.
(Image: Liam Donlin/Facebook)
Mr Little KC set out the roles the prosecution says each played in the plan to kill Mr Scott. He said the ‘beef’ was Maxwell’s and she recruited her son.
The prosecutor told the court that Clegg knew where Scott lived and directed them to his home. She also allegedly carried the knives in her bag and lured Mr Scott to the door, the court was told.
“This was no accident”, Mr Littler KC said. “This was a severe stab wound, deliberate, straight to the chest and heart of Paul Scott.
“When he did it, he wanted him to hear the words ‘you f***ing little rat.’ He did it because his mum had history with Paul Scott.
“They all wanted the same thing. They wanted to teach Paul Scott a lesson. They wanted to chop him up with a knife or knives. They wanted to visit him at night with knives and attack him with knives. They are all guilty of murder.”
Mr Littler KC added: “The reason they are all there is because of her She not only encouraged it, she championed it. She was the director and producer of that violent movie.”
Maxwell and Clegg have remained in the dock throughout the trial but declined the opportunity to give evidence in their defence.
The jury is expected to retire to consider verdicts today (January 29).
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