The Truth We Chase

by Carl Richards

  The Prosecution case continues.

  ‘Lisa Pussett was married to Rob Pussett who in turn, is a lifelong friend of Mr Joseph Ryebank the defendant in this case. Previously, Mrs Pussett had been in a relationship with Mr Ryebank for four years before their separation and Mr Ryebank’s subsequent relationship with Mia Canova, an American student studying at The University of Manchester and before his move to the United States of America.’

  The Prosecution Barrister turns to face the jury. ‘Members of the jury, I intend to switch to using first names for this portion of the proceedings as the timeline is relatively compact and there are some twists and turns, involving several people.’

  The Judge intervenes, ‘that will be acceptable, if, at the outset you make clear who the people are and what their relationship to each other is, or was.’

  ‘Thank you, My Lord, I will do that now. We have:

  Lisa Pussett and her relationship to Joseph Ryebank the defendant, as I have already outlined.

  Mia Canova, who was Joseph Ryebank’s girlfriend and the reason he moved to the USA following his break-up from Lisa Pussett.

  Ana Marcela Casé, who is Joseph Ryebank’s current girlfriend in America.

  Luciana Melas, who is in a house-share with Ana Marcela Casé and Joseph Ryebank.

  ...And last but by no means least, Jill Breathnach, who we know is the victim in this case.

  Now, Mrs Pussett, or should I say, Lisa... I would like to take you back to when you first met Joe, I believe that was at the same Secondary School you both attended?’

  ‘That is correct.’

  ‘...And by all accounts Joe was quite a catch; popular, intelligent, tall, dark and handsome, funny, and laid-back?’

  ‘That’s right he was...’

  ‘He was...? That sounds like he changed through the four years you were together?’

  ‘Joe was all those things you said while we were at school, but a couple of years after we left, he started to change. He didn’t want to go out anymore and he didn’t want me to go out. He kept pushing for us to move in with each other and buy a house. The problem was, to be able to afford a property we would have to move out of the area. In the end he was just too much, too overbearing at such a young age.’

  ‘So, it would be fair to say that Joe, the defendant in this case, became quite a controlling individual, overbearing, controlling and argumentative?’

  ‘I suppose we did argue more towards the end just before we split up...’

  ‘Quite, so he became an overbearing boyfriend who stopped you from going out, wanted to move you away from your friends and family, away from the area you grew up in then became so argumentative that in the end, you had no choice but to end the relationship. Please tell the jury Lisa, after you finished the relationship, how long did it take Joe to find a new girlfriend?’

  ‘Two months.’

  ‘Just two months between him wanting to buy a house and marry you, to sleeping with someone else...two months! That certainly sounds like a man who can switch his emotions on and off to suit his needs. Moving on, could you please now tell the jury more about Thursday the 20th of April 2000?’

  ‘I had booked the week off work, Rob and myself were trying to get away for Easter, but as Rob is self-employed a job came in and he couldn’t afford to turn down the money. So, on that Thursday I decided to go to the pub for a couple of drinks at lunchtime and then arranged to meet Rob in there later in the day. About two-thirty in the afternoon Joe walked in. He hadn’t changed and instantly my heart skipped a beat, it was good to see him again and if I’m honest, deep down I still had feelings for him. Because I still had feelings for him it made me a little jealous and I probably gave him a harder time than I should have!

  We spent the afternoon together, it was good, it was like having the old Joe back, he wasn’t as intense as he used to be.

  Rob arrived at the pub at about five o’clock and it was just the three of us for an hour or so until more of our friends came in.

  By last orders I’d had enough but Rob wanted to stay out. Joe offered to walk me home and I accepted.

  We bought some food from the takeaway and headed towards my house. I didn’t feel comfortable taking Joe home and, as it was a nice night, we decided to go to the park.’

  ‘Did anything happen between the two of you?’

  ‘Earlier in the day when Joe first arrived at the pub, he told me he had been dumped by Mia.’

  ‘Dumped?’

  ‘When I say “dumped” I mean Mia had ended their relationship. I took this to mean that he was single. I wanted him back and saw this as an opportunity. I was edging towards it but then he killed the moment... I’m really sorry, that was a poor choice of words... when he told me that he was in yet another relationship with a woman called Ana.’

  ‘...And how did that make you feel?’

  ‘Angry I suppose, it is just like you said, Joe seems to be able to switch his emotions on and off, he flits from one person to the next until he gets what he wants, then he moves on. It was at this point I realised that I was lucky to be rid of him.’

  ‘He walked you home and that was that?’

  ‘Yes, until later that day when I bumped into Joe again with yet another woman.’

  ‘A woman who you now know was Jill Breathnach?’

  ‘Yes. Joe had told me whilst we were in the park that he was living with two women, one is his girlfriend, Ana a Brazilian, and the other woman who I know nothing about. As this woman was obviously not Brazilian, I presumed he had travelled with his other housemate. I saw red, and this led to an altercation between us in the street.’

  ‘But that led to an interesting exchange of words during the altercation between the three of you, could you please tell the jury what was said?’

  ‘Two things came out during our altercation; first, that Jill wasn’t aware that Joe was seeing Ana, and second, that Jill was pregnant with Joe’s baby. I guess this was news to Joe as he looked completely shocked.’

  ‘Thank you, Lisa, just pause there a moment if you will. Members of the jury may I take this opportunity to remind you that we must never surmise when given information, this is a court of law, we must look solely at facts and I don’t want this crucial piece of information, this fact, to pass you by. Jill announced she was pregnant with Joe’s baby and Joseph Ryebank didn’t flinch, he didn’t question it and he most certainly didn’t deny it.

  Furthermore, the altercation had drawn quite a large crowd and we have several witness statements to corroborate Lisa Pussett’s testimony that indeed, Jill Breathnach did state to Joseph Ryebank that she was pregnant with his child.

  So, from the evidence we can safely say that this is a fact. An amazing fact at that, considering Jill and Joe allegedly hadn’t seen each other for seventeen years!

  During Jill Breathnach’s post-mortem it was found that she was indeed, pregnant. Also, of interest, the forensic pathologist has determined a date range of conception from the development of the foetus. That date range correlates with the last time Jill Breathnach was in New York.

  Thank you, Mrs Pussett, your testimony has been insightful and thank you for your honesty about your feelings for Mr Ryebank. I believe that the stress of being in the media spotlight has led to a relationship breakdown between you and your husband, I’m sure that I speak for all in this court when I say that I am sorry that you find yourself in that position.

  Members of the jury, I hope you’ve managed to keep up, Joseph Ryebank’s life certainly has many, many layers. Please cast your mind back to my opening statement when I suggested that there was indeed a love triangle involving Jill, her partner Alex Grinshill who lives on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, and Joe. The evidence now supports this, whilst Jill was in New York visiting her partner she was also taking time out with Joe, more than that, she managed to get pregnant by him.

  It is also our case that this is the reason Joe had flown back at such short notice because Jill had contacted hi
m with some news. As you will hear from evidence to be presented later in this trial, Joe received an email from Jill on the Sunday and by Wednesday he was on a flight back to Manchester! Why the urgency? If they hadn’t seen each other for seventeen years another few weeks, months or even a year would have made no difference and yet within three days he was heading back. At the hotel you have heard evidence Jill and Joe were a happy, very much in love couple, coupled with the fact that Jill stayed with and shared a bed with Joe immediately indicates there was no seventeen-year gap.

  So, that brings us to the fateful Sunday, what had Jill said to Joe that day that caused there to be such a change between them? You have heard evidence that Joe was like a bull in a china shop that morning, argumentative with Jill at breakfast, angry, aggressive and abusive with his father who had paid a visit.

  Something happened that Sunday, that something only involved Jill and Joe and that something would ultimately result in the murder of Jill on that very day. Was she going to terminate the pregnancy, was she going to go back to her partner Alex Grinshill, was she calling time on the affair? Hopefully we’ll get some answers by the end of this trial.’

  MY BARRISTER STANDS to her feet.

  ‘Mrs. Pussett, thank you for your evidence today, it has provided the jury with an invaluable insight into both your relationship with Joseph Ryebank and the kind of person he is.

  I note with interest that my learned friend from the Prosecution put it to you... and I quote...

  “So, it would be fair to say that Joe, the defendant in this case, became quite a controlling individual, overbearing, controlling and argumentative?”

  ...And to that Mrs Pussett you replied...

  “I suppose we did argue more towards the end just before we split up...”

  My learned friend never gave you a chance to complete your reply, would you like to finish your sentence now?’

  Lisa looks directly at me, ‘I suppose we did argue more towards the end just before we split up... but no more or less than other couples do, our relationship was ending so things are going to be bad.’

  ‘...And by your own admission you still care for, and, have feelings for Mr Ryebank?’

  ‘I do still care for him and I wish things could have been different.’

  Lisa looks across to me again as I nod in agreement with her.

  ‘Thank you again Mrs Pussett, I have no further questions for you.’

  Chapter 20

  The Trial – Mr & Mrs Edstaston

  The Prosecution addresses the jury.

  ‘Members of the jury, we are now at the critical part of this trial. You are about to hear conclusive evidence from two sets of highly respectable professional people who will state that, apart from themselves, Joseph Ryebank was the only person, I’ll repeat that, the only person, who was with Jill Breathnach, immediately before, during and after her murder.

  First, I will call Mr Norman Edstaston.

  Mr Edstaston, after each statement I make could you please confirm if it is factual, correct and truthful.’

  Mr Edstaston answers in a low, measured voice that he will.

  ‘Mr. Edstaston on Easter Sunday the 23rd of April 2000, you and your wife, Mary, took a group of fellow hikers up to the Peak District, apart from yourself and your wife, there were also three other couples, is that correct?’

  ‘Yes’ was the reply.

  ‘Your hiking route took you down Shooters Clough, past the remains of Castedge Farmhouse, through the stone pillars on the path that leads to the hall, then on to the ruins of the hall itself - where you had programmed in a refreshment stop?’

  ‘Yes, that is correct.’

  ‘Mr. Edstaston, please tell the jury about your visit to the hall on the day in question.’

  ‘Well, it was exactly as you said, we approached the hall from the south. On the last section of the path, just before the steps that take you down to the hall, we stopped to take a couple of photographs as you can see the whole of it from this point.’

  The Prosecution Barrister interrupts.

  ‘Members of the jury, the photographs that were taken on that day are in your laminated sheets, please turn to them now.’

  ‘The first photograph has been taken from the steps at the south end of the hall, from an elevated position and due to the hall being razed to the ground, apart from the south wall, you can see the footprint of the hall along with the area that surrounds it. In the south wall, there are three sections, to the left and right are windows. In the middle section are, what would have been three arched floor to ceiling glazed doors that led out onto the garden with its quadrant of flower beds.

  As you can see there are two people in the photograph, stood inside the hall visible through the centre arch. Also, as you can see, there is no other person or persons at the hall, or in its vicinity. Those two people in the hall are Joseph Ryebank and Jill Breathnach, this is the final minutes of Jill Breathnach’s life captured in this photograph. Please carry on Mr Edstaston.’

  ‘After we took a couple of photographs, we made our way down the steps into what would have been the formal garden and we started to unpack the refreshments from our rucksacks. Mary and I remained here whilst the others went to explore the ruins of the hall.’

  The Prosecution Barrister interrupts once again.

  ‘We are not going to call each member of the party individually. Each person gave their account to the Police and have signed statements. Each person has given the same version of events, crucially that in the time they spent in and around the hall, including the halls immediate vicinity, there were no other persons present other than themselves, Joseph Ryebank and Jill Breathnach.’

  The Prosecution Barrister gestures to Mr Edstaston to carry on.

  ‘We had only been there for about five or possibly ten minutes when we witnessed the woman slap the man...’

  The Prosecution interrupts yet again.

  ‘Just to be crystal clear, the woman who you later found out was Jill Breathnach and the man to be Joseph Ryebank?’

  ‘That is correct, she slapped him with such force and then he grabbed her with one hand on each shoulder, he shouted at her, “THAT’S ENOUGH, now listen to me.” The woman was crying she broke free from his hold and started to hit him on his chest with clenched fists. I have to admit that we regrouped, packed up and left.’

  ‘You walked around the front of the hall and carried on to the path that takes you out of the clearing and away to the moors at the north end and at no point did you see any other person or persons?’

  ‘That is correct.’

  Mr Edstaston now looks distraught, ‘I’m so sorry... if we had only stayed, we could have stopped her from being killed.’

  He starts to weep as if it is all his fault that Jill died.

  The Prosecution takes over. ‘My Lord, members of the jury, it is only right that the witness Mr Edstaston should step down, the trauma from this event is still raw and the evidence that he has provided is sufficient to prove our case.’

  Turning to Mr Edstaston, ‘thank you so much for your courage in giving your accurate, clear and concise evidence today. It is not down to you to police other people’s actions and as such you need not feel the burden of responsibility that you do. Thanks to your evidence we will get justice for the victim, Jill Breathnach.’

  The Judge interrupts the proceedings. ‘Would the Defence like to challenge any part of this witness statement?’

  My Barrister responds, ‘No, My Lord, the Defence does not contest the witness evidence as given, with the exception that Mr Ryebank was the only person present, which we will deal with in our allotted time.’

  The Judge thanks Mr Edstaston as the Court Usher leads him away.

  The Prosecution Barrister allows enough time for Mr Edstaston to leave the court before turning to the jury once again.

  ‘Members of the jury, I do not need to add anything further, the evidence that you have been given is sufficient to prove the exact ci
rcumstances up to the point of the murder taking place.

  Next, we will call Mr Loppington and Miss Yorton. This young couple also entered from the south end of the hall but on a different path, a path that starts in a public car park at the side of the reservoir and leads directly to the front of the hall.

  They were minutes behind the Edstaston hiking party who had just left to the north of the hall as we have just heard.

  As you will see from the evidence sheets, the location can only be accessed from the north and south of the hall. To the west, at the back, there is a steep hill and to the east or front of the hall - beyond the densely packed rhododendron bushes - there is a deep ravine. This ravine is the one that the defendant Joseph Ryebank fell into whilst attempting to hide in the rhododendron bushes after fleeing the murder scene.

  As I have stated earlier, Mr Loppington and Miss Yorton entered the location a few minutes later from the south and they too saw nobody, not a soul. Nobody in front of them, nobody in the hall or in the clearing around the hall, except for the murdered victim and the alleged perpetrator of that crime, who they now know as Jill Breathnach and Joseph Ryebank.’

  Chapter 21

  The Trial – Miss Yorton and Mr Loppington

  The Prosecution Barrister opens the proceedings once more.

  ‘First I will call Miss Yorton to the stand.’ Following the formalities of the oath, the case continues.

  ‘Miss Yorton, you are a junior doctor and your partner Mr Loppington is a paramedic, you had taken advantage of some much needed and rare time off from your busy professions by taking a hike in the Peak District on Easter Sunday, the 23rd of April 2000?’

  ‘That is correct.’

  ‘Please tell the jury of the events of that day.’

  ‘We arrived at the car park in the valley quite late, around about two o’clock in the afternoon, as we had taken advantage of a lie in that morning.