The Truth We Chase

by Carl Richards

  You have also heard from the Prosecution that Mr Ryebank wanted to move Ms. Pussett away from her friends and family, away from the area she grew up in. The Prosecution suggests this was for Mr Ryebank to assert his control over Ms Pussett by isolating her. The only reason Mr Ryebank had suggested leaving their immediate area was that the property in a neighbouring area was affordable, a step on the housing ladder. This neighbouring area is five minutes up the road, five minutes up the road. Hardly isolating her from anyone, let alone friends and family I would suggest.

  So, let us recap, at no point was Mr Ryebank in any way abusive, coercive and controlling. What he was and I’m sure he will not mind me making this assertion, was overzealous and at the time probably not mature enough to realise that.

  What Mr Ryebank wanted was to settle down, to start a family and be part of something he had never had in his life before, to be part of a close-knit loving family unit. Mrs Pussett would have been happy with that too if only they had been a few years older.

  In fact, seven years later when she met up with Mr Ryebank on Thursday the 20th April 2000, that was foremost on her mind; her words, not mine. She wanted him back despite the fact she was married to another man.

  It is to Mr Ryebank’s credit that he acted, as he always does, with integrity; especially on that evening when he could have but didn’t, succumb to her advances.

  That leaves us with the circumstantial evidence laid out by the Prosecution.

  I will start at the murder scene. There is absolutely no way anyone can categorically say that Jill Breathnach and Joseph Ryebank were alone at the hall that afternoon. During a Police reconstruction it was established that there was a gap of between five and ten minutes between the first set of witnesses, the group of hikers led by Mr & Mrs Edstaston and the second, Miss Yorton and Mr Loppington. The immediate area around the hall is surrounded by dense rhododendron and the second path that runs past the front door of the hall, the murder scene, is out of sight from where Jill Breathnach and Joseph Ryebank were stood.

  From the reconstruction it was determined that the murder took seventeen seconds. This has been established by the Police and has been accepted by both the Prosecution and Mr Ryebank himself.

  Seventeen seconds in a ten-minute period. That seventeen seconds occurred immediately before the arrival of Miss Yorton and Mr Loppington, leaving nine minutes and forty-three seconds for the killer to establish himself whilst Jill Breathnach and Joseph Ryebank were alone. Let me put that into perspective; ten minutes is enough time to walk half a mile, there are three paths to the hall, two from the south and one from the north.

  Even if the killer wasn’t already concealed in the rhododendron bushes waiting for an opportunity to carry out his murderous act, he most certainly had time to walk to the hall unseen.

  Next, the weapon used to commit the murder. Once again it has been established by the Police and accepted by the Prosecution that the hunting knife used in this murder was brand new. We know this as there was no wear and tear evident on it.

  Now, I’m not sure if this information has been missed or simply not presented to you. This brand of hunting knife is only sold in England. The maker of the knife is based in Sheffield, they are a small family run firm and only supply six outlets. They have never made any sales or sent any knife abroad, the same is true for the outlets they supply.

  What I ask you to remember is that this was Easter time, shopping hours are extremely restricted. The shop closest to Mr Ryebank’s hotel was open the Thursday he arrived but we can account for his movements on that day, Friday was Good Friday and the shop was closed, Saturday the shop was open from ten in the morning until two in the afternoon, once again we can account for Mr Ryebank’s movements as he spent the day with Jill Breathnach down in Alderley Edge. Finally, Easter Sunday the shop was shut. We know as fact that Mr Ryebank did not venture down to the High Street nor did he visit the shop - Game, Sett and Catch, the shop that sells this hunting knife, this is confirmed by CCTV gathered from the High Street and the shop itself.

  So now we can be sure of two facts. One; there is no evidence that Jill Breathnach and Joseph Ryebank were alone at the scene or at the time of the murder. Two; that Mr Ryebank could not have been in possession of the murder weapon until he wrestled it from the grip of the actual murderer.

  Finally, and this is critical, Jill Breathnach was indeed pregnant but nobody knew, not even Ms Breathnach herself as there is no evidence that she ever took a pregnancy test, attended a doctor or spoke to friends or family about it. She was early on in her pregnancy - probably eight to ten weeks and that does coincide with her last visit to New York, it also coincides with the last time she was intimate with her then partner Alex Grinshill.

  A DNA test has been done and the result proves categorically that Joseph Ryebank is not the father. So, who is... Alex Grinshill? Mr Grinshill has been very uncooperative; he will not talk about his relationship with Ms Breathnach or for that matter anything to do with his life and circumstance. So, we are at a dead-end. What we do know from what Ms Breathnach has told friends and family is that Alex Grinshill was cheating on her and that she ended her relationship with him after that last visit to New York.

  Jill Breathnach did not know she was pregnant, Joseph Ryebank did not know she was pregnant, the only reason they ended up back in touch with each other again was that Kathy Breathnach - Jill’s mother - instigated an email exchange between them. So, it is true that they hadn’t seen each other for seventeen years. To sum up, Joseph Ryebank had no means or motive to harm anyone, let alone Jill Breathnach, someone who he cared about so much.

  So, members of the jury where do we go from here? I cannot guide you in your decision, all I can do is provide you with the facts, but what I will say is Joseph Ryebank can only be found guilty if there is proof, beyond reasonable doubt, that he murdered Jill Breathnach on that Easter Sunday last year. May I remind you that there is NO proof and NO evidence whatsoever that Joseph Ryebank did, or is capable of, or would even consider, let alone carry out this horrendous crime. Members of the jury I thank you for your time and patience in this matter and that concludes the case for the Defence.’

  Chapter 24

  The Trial – Summing up

  There is a pause before the Judge speaks again. Twelve sets of eyes are watching my facial expressions, my every breath both in and out and every little fidget I make. They are trying to make sense of my body language to see if I give anything away, I hope that they don’t misread the signs.

  The judge looks up from his papers and across to the jurors as he addresses them.

  ‘Members of the jury we are now in the last stage of this case, you will now hear the closing speeches from both the Prosecution and Defence, starting with the Prosecution.’

  THE PROSECUTION BARRISTER stands up. ‘Members of the jury the time has arrived for you to make your decision on the outcome of this case based on the evidence that you have seen and heard. There can be no doubt about the guilt of the defendant; Let me start with his personal life. His job is to manipulate people, he has turned his back on being a fully qualified Civil Engineer in pursuit of his fortune in property development, so much so, that this twenty-six-year-old, who has only been in the business for four years, has amassed a personal portfolio worth forty-five million dollars. There is only one way to achieve that in one of the toughest property markets in the world, you need to be ruthless, and he is. The company he works for and his own subsidiary company actively seek out areas where people are despairing, the forgotten places, Mr Ryebank will then exploit their situation to convince them to move out of their properties before erasing their neighbourhood and their community with gentrification. Buy low - sell high. We’ve seen this Machiavellian manipulation before, haven’t we? Remember Lisa Pussett, yes everything looked happy in their relationship but was it?

  Then on his return, Joseph Ryebank used this Machiavellian charm on Lisa yet again in an incredibly audacious move right under
the nose of her husband. You have heard from my learned friend from the defence that Mr Ryebank acted with integrity; especially on that evening when he could have, but didn’t, succumb to her advances, the reality is Lisa Pussett came to her senses and didn’t fall prey to him a second time.

  So, we have established Joseph Ryebank is ruthless and manipulative, let's add to that mix, shall we? I’m talking about Mr Ryebank’s aggressive behaviour. Remember the evidence from the morning of the murder? Mr Ryebank argued with Jill Breathnach before launching a serious physical assault on his estranged father, a physical attack so severe that he required hospital treatment. Anything else? Oh yes, the murder itself, Mr Ryebank... apart from the victim, is the only person at the scene. The only person present, the only person with the murder weapon, the only person whose fingerprints were found on the murder weapon and the only person with Jill Breathnach’s blood on his clothing. Joseph Ryebank was thwarted in his escape when he tripped and plunged off the edge of the ravine. He claims that he tripped and plunged off the edge of the ravine head first, let me stress that is his claim, not mine. Members of the jury... this is not the Grand Canyon; it is a small ravine on a hillside in the Peak District National Park. If Joseph Ryebank had gone off the edge of the ravine head first he would have ended up in the stream head first - flat on his face. He wasn’t found flat on his face; he was found on his back. This indicates that he had run to the edge of the ravine, stopped, and then tried to climb down the side to make good his escape falling backwards in the process.

  This was a deliberate, but flawed attempt to escape and most definitely rules out Mr Ryebank’s version of events that he was chasing a mysterious ghost-like figure who appeared from nowhere, then disappeared into nowhere, at the scene of the murder.

  What about the most important person in the whole of this case, Jill Breathnach? A strong, mature, caring, loving, honest, faithful and intelligent woman who lived and loved her life to the full. Everyone the Police spoke to said she was a happy go lucky woman always smiling, joking and content.

  That was until she made the mistake of letting Joseph Ryebank back into her life. During the three days of his visit she had been manipulated into staying with him at his hotel, she was dragged into a street altercation after which she was so upset, that she took herself off to a local pub and was seen wiping away tears from her eyes; then on the final day as we know, Joseph Ryebank was involved in an argument with her at the hotel, then, in a remote moorland setting he struck up yet another argument with Jill, but this time there was an escalation into physical manhandling, this was to culminate in her brutal murder.

  In those three days Jill Breathnach’s life had become a living hell.

  It is therefore conclusively proven that Joseph Ryebank’s return brought about a darkness that extinguished the light and life of Jill Breathnach in an odious act of brutality and as such requires a verdict that Joseph Ryebank is in fact, unequivocally guilty of her murder.

  Members of the jury, I thank you for your time.’

  The Defence Barrister stands.

  ‘Members of the jury you have seen and heard all the evidence available in this case and you have had time to reflect on it. I’m sure that whilst reflecting it hasn’t escaped your notice that the Prosecution has often resorted to personal attacks on the defendant in lieu of hard evidential facts to support their case.

  Let me phrase it another way, the reason Joseph Ryebank has been subjected to an unending barrage of personal criticism is a smoke screen because the facts simply do not support the case against him.

  This is the time for summing up not a time to be going back over the evidence, but if I were to, then I would remind you that once the personal attacks have been removed, there is not one fact, not one shred of evidence... not one, that supports the case against Joseph Ryebank.

  The Prosecution needed to prove the means, motive, and opportunity for Joseph Ryebank to commit the crime. Not one of these criteria has been met in full, not one. The Prosecution has made their case on the premise that this was a premeditated attack but then contradicted themselves when they suggested that Joseph Ryebank had some sort of breakdown on the day that instantaneously made him a murderer. He had no means, no motive and little opportunity.

  So, who did? It is not my job to offer up suspects, it was the responsibility of the Police to fully investigate all avenues before submitting the case for trial. Unfortunately, the investigation has been woefully executed and what I am suggesting is that we simply do not know who was present at the time of the murder and that is the point, isn’t it? The Prosecution have left this case wide open, there is no conclusive evidence against Joseph Ryebank.

  One point I would like to reiterate is that he simply could not and would not do anything to harm Jill Breathnach. He had a relationship with her deeper than most of us can comprehend. A relationship that many of us, unfortunately, will never find or experience in our lifetime... I therefore vehemently assert that Joseph Ryebank is not guilty of this offence.

  Thank you for your time.’

  The Defence Barrister takes her seat and silence blankets the Court.

  The Judge speaks.

  ‘We have now come to the end of the evidence and now we turn to you, members of the jury, to deliver a verdict. Large parts of the evidence have been emotive, but you will need to put aside your personal feelings in favour of the facts.

  It is appropriate at this point to give you legal direction.

  The Prosecution has brought this case to trial and it is their responsibility to prove the defendant’s guilt, it is not for the defendant to prove his innocence.

  Please review the evidence you have heard diligently.

  The charge against the defendant is that of murder. In order to find the defendant guilty, you have satisfied yourself that, from the evidence, the defendant is of sound mind and discretion, that he alone unlawfully killed his victim and that was his absolute intent. If you find this to be the case then the verdict must be Guilty; if you feel the facts do not support the case against the defendant or if you are not sure, then the verdict must be Not Guilty. Your decision must be beyond all reasonable doubt, it must be unanimous.

  Finally, you are required to elect one of your number to act as the foreperson to chair the discussions in the jury room and to deliver the verdict in court.’

  The jury file out of the courtroom. The only sound in the room is shuffled papers and mutterings from the public gallery. I turn to look at the faces trying to gauge their reaction; do they think I am guilty or not guilty? I get nothing back, the outcome of the verdict could destroy my life, but to them, this is just a real-life soap opera. Their only care is having enough time to get to the pub and back before the court is recalled for the delivery of the verdict. Slowly I gaze at each face, then suddenly I spot a familiar face sat at the very back, I squint, right at the back in semi darkness with a big beaming smile and an enthusiastic wave is... Luciana!

  I have never been so glad to see her, finally, I have someone willing to stand by me. Most of my so-called-friends have deserted me... “no smoke without fire” seemed to be the widely held view and yet my former housemate has travelled all this way just to support me?

  Then, like being hit in the face with a baseball bat I remember Jill and our last few hours together. I remember how Jill put me right about Luciana and steered me round to realise I should be with her not Ana, all that seems like a lifetime ago now.

  The extreme high of seeing Luciana again was very quickly offset with the extreme low of losing Jill, elation to despair. I bow my head and stare at the floor, closing my eyes I remember that final car journey to the Peak District with Jill, exactly as it happened... staring out of the car window; as I gaze out of the window the surrounding hills are a lush green as we climb out of the valley along an increasingly narrowing country road. Suburbia is now long gone, now, there is just vast openness as far as the eye can see, interspersed with farms, fields, and sheep with their spring
lambs. Gorse bushes add a welcome splash of colour with their vivid yellow flowers to the otherwise wild landscape of the hillsides. All Saints - Pure Shores on the radio... I repeat the second verse over and over in my head.

  Seeing Luciana again has reminded me what all this is about, it’s about Jill, not me. I’ve spent so long in the hospital recovering from my injuries, then eight months on remand awaiting this trial, all the time thinking and fighting for myself, that the enormity of what happened to Jill has been pushed into the background. That was until now. Now I’m angry at myself, angry that I got angry on that morning and because of that anger I let her walk off, because of my attitude, she walked off and with the element of surprise she was murdered and I couldn’t do anything to stop it, just like her Dad on that fateful night when we were kids. Then it really hit home, not only was he her Dad but also mine; in seventeen years I had witnessed both my real Dad and my Sister murdered in front of my very eyes.

  Then it all becomes clear.

  The lowlife that brought me up, who I thought was my father, where is he? He’s done a runner, he’s over in Spain with Jill’s Mum, why wouldn’t they be here, why wouldn’t they want to see justice for Jill? Very quickly everything slots into place.

  The lowlife, yes, I can’t bring myself to call him by any other name, wanted us all dead. He had Mick killed all those years ago when he found out about his affair with my mother and that I was Mick’s child not his, and, I believe he wanted Jill and myself dead too. He wanted to erase us as we are a constant reminder of the humiliation he felt. That’s why Jill’s Mum couldn’t make it to the valley to join us on the walk, she was due to be flown out of the country with the lowlife to act as his alibi. He visited me at the hotel en-route to the airport because, before he went, he wanted to get one final dig in, he wanted me to know why I was going to be murdered.

  I get some satisfaction in the thought that his plan to flee was initially destroyed as he lay there with a urine-soaked face and broken jaw on the toilet floor, but then my thoughts turned to the murderer, who was he? I’m absolutely convinced I’ve seen him before but I couldn’t place him. I run images of the lowlife’s cronies through my head, but none matched.