Woman denies murder of ‘well-loved' father-of-six on Christmas Day
A woman has denied murdering a father-of-six on Christmas Day.
Kirsty Carless appeared at Stafford Crown Court on Friday charged with the murder of 'well-loved' Louis Price on December 25 last year.
The 33-year-old, of Haling Way in Cannock, spoke only to confirm her name and to enter a not guilty plea to the single charge put to her during the 10-minute hearing.
Staffordshire Police said they were called to a report of a man in cardiac arrest at a property on Elm Road in Norton Canes, near Cannock, at around 3.25am and despite medical efforts Mr Price, 31, died a short time later.
Judge Kristina Montgomery KC set the date for a three-week trial at Stafford as July 14 and Carless was remanded into custody to appear again for a pre-trial review in the week commencing May 12.
In a statement released through Staffordshire Police after his death, Mr Price's family described him as a 'well-known member of the community' who was 'well-loved' and always smiling.
They said: 'He always had time for anyone and would help anyone he could.
'Louis was a devoted fisherman, he had a passion for fishing and regularly went away on trips with friends and family.
'He loved football, he played for a team and was a lifelong supporter of Aston Villa.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
19 hours ago
- BBC News
Stoke-on-Trent aids find £25k of illegal cigarettes and vapes
Illegal tobacco and vapes worth £25,000 have been seized in a series of raids in a from Stoke-on-Trent City Council's trading standards team and Staffordshire Police searched four sites in High Street, Tunstall, on 4 20,000 cigarettes, 6.5kg of hand-rolling tobacco, 650 vapes and 22 tubs of shisha were recovered, a city council spokesperson Amjid Wazir said illegal tobacco and vapes often exploited vulnerable workers and undermined legitimate businesses. The raids were part of Operation Cece – a national trading standards and HM Revenue and Customs initiative aimed at tackling the supply of illegal came after the introduction of the ban on single-use vapes on 1 June. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Sun
20 hours ago
- The Sun
Moment shooting ‘target' grabs passerby to use as a human SHIELD as gunman opens fire outside takeaway
THIS is the shocking moment a gunman opened fire on his target while the victim grabbed a passer-by as a "human shield" for protection. Ex-footballer Kye Lemathy, 21, was caught on dramatic CCTV shooting at a man in Aston, Birmingham, as terrified pedestrians were walking by on October 12 last year. 4 4 4 In the terrifying clip, the victim is seen tussling with a pedestrian to block the bullets. Lemathy, who was an academy player at League Two club Walsall FC, was arrested by cops after suffering stab wounds himself close to Villa Park, the stadium of Premier League outfit Aston Villa. He pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent in April. He was jailed for years and nine months at Birmingham Crown Court on June 3. The court heard how the talented footballer had been on the books of Walsall FC but was soon seduced by drugs and crime after the club released him. On the day of the shooting he had been involved in an argument with two men near a bus stop while riding his e-bike. He then returned home and fetched the gun before he was stabbed near a Gulf petrol station as the argument escalated. Lemathy then fired at least two shots from his revolver at the pair in retaliation before fleeing the scene. Sentencing, Judge Melbourne Inman KC told him he was a "dangerous offender" and described gun crime as the "scourge of Birmingham". It comes after another gunman started shooting at a group of people in a residential street in broad-daylight. Moment vile passenger tells woman 'I'll follow you home & kill you' in disturbing rant on train as pals try to stop him Desie Dalton-Byrne, 21, opened fire near his home on Chudleigh Road, Erdington, Birmingham last year. Chilling CCTV shows him wielding a gun and waving it in the air before taking aim at a group and fleeing on foot. No one was injured in the shooting which happened at around 6.30pm on July 25 last year. West Midlands Police used CCTV to track down Dalton-Byrne and the weapon was discovered in a garden in nearby Low Wood Road. Dalton-Byrne admitted possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, possession of a firearm, and possession of ammunition for a firearm without a certificate. He was jailed for five-and-a-half years at Birmingham Crown Court in March. Detective Inspector Matt Marston, from the force's Major Crime Unit, said: "Firearms and drugs play a significant role in criminality on our streets. "It persistently erodes communities, ruining lives and blighting communities. "As a result of this discovery, we've taken a deadly weapon off the streets, and an individual with direct access to it is behind bars. "We hope this sentence will offer a deterrent to other criminals who act in this way."
The Courier
a day ago
- The Courier
Commonwealth medal-winning boxer described as 'enforcer' after violent attacks and victim intimidation in Angus
Brothers from Montrose ended up in court together after one attacked a man in Angus and the other intimidated him into not reporting it to police. Teenager Sean Docherty punched his victim around 20 times, before his brother John left the man so scared he and his family fled to temporary accommodation. After Commonwealth bronze-medal winning boxer John Docherty also admitted a separate assault, the sheriff suggested he may be 'something of an enforcer'. The two men will be sentenced in July when background reports have been prepared. John, 27, and 19-year-old Sean appeared together in the dock at Dundee Sheriff Court. The younger brother admitted that on May 12 last year, he assaulted a man on Swan Street in Brechin by repeatedly punching him on the head and body. The assault left the man severely injured, permanently impaired and permanently disfigured, according to the charge. John Docherty, who won bronze for Scotland in the 2018 Gold Coast games, pled guilty to a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice five days later. Prosecutor Emma Farmer told the court Sean Docherty's victim had been driving and was spotted by the brothers, who were drunkenly crossing the road. Sean Docherty went to the car and punched the driver approximately 20 times. He suffered a snapped tendon and bruised ribs and continues to suffer discomfort. Five days later, John Docherty followed the man his brother assaulted, overtook him and parked his van to block him in. He asked if the man had gone to the police about the assault and was told he had not. Frightened, the man put his car in gear but Docherty told him: 'If you put that car in gear, I'll f***ing kill you.' The court heard the man, his pregnant partner and their child have fled to temporary accommodation. The older brother admitted another assault which happened on Christmas Day 2024 at Erskine Place in Montrose. He seized a male by the throat and repeatedly punched him on the head and body, injuring him. Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith noted the incident was filmed and said: 'There seems to be a pattern developing that would suggest Mr Doherty was something of an enforcer.' John Docherty's solicitor explained his client's wife is due to give birth to their third child next week. He explained Docherty is a self-employed roofer, who works primarily in the Aberdeen area. Jim Laverty, appearing for Sean Docherty, who is employed by his father, said his client has since given up drinking. The brothers, both of Lochside Crescent in Montrose, will be sentenced on July 18 after background reports have been prepared. Sheriff Niven-Smith said 'custody is almost inevitable' for John Docherty. Three days before their hearing, both men appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court in relation to another matter. While John Docherty's not guilty plea was accepted, Sean Docherty admitted that on March 2 last year, he repeatedly pursued a stranger on High Street and New Wynd in Montrose. He then punched him on the head and body, leaving him with cuts on his nose and lip. He will be sentenced for that offence on July 1.
