A couple ‘put their heads together’ who spun a web

A couple ‘put their heads together’ who spun a web of lies to
mislead police in what was nearly a murder inquiry were both jailed
for five years on Friday.

Either John Walsh or common-law wife Sheila Nightingale – or both
– subjected 60-year-old victim Sean Cotter to a savage drunken attack
which left him severely brain damaged, the court was told.

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard how former crane driver Mr
Cotter, of Bouverie Road, Stoke Newington, nearly died after suffering
a brain haemorrhage – similar to the ‘brain shake’ injury received by
boxer Michael Watson.

After their arrest Walsh, 43, and Nightingale, 44, told
detectives they helped their ‘friend’ Mr Cotter after he was brutally
mugged by teenagers and called for an ambulance when his condition
deteriorated.

Initially they were released but after an extensive police
investigation, forensic evidence revealed that the victim had
sustained the terrible injuries in their flat in St.

Mark’s Rise,
Hackney.

The Crown offered no evidence against the pair on charges
of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and robbing Mr
Cotter of his lighter.

The jobless couple admitted conspiracy to pervert the course of
justice.

Passing sentence Judge Owen Stable, QC, told them: ‘Each of you
knows precisely what happened to Mr Cotter.

‘Either one or both of you attacked him causing the most
appalling injuries.

‘
The judge said Mr Cotter was still unable to speak, write, or
communicate with others.

‘He will never recover.

It is a miracle his injuries did not
prove to be fatal.

‘After his attack he was left until the next day before you,
Nightingale, called an ambulance.

‘By the time Nightingale called the ambulance the two of you put
your heads together to pervert the course of justice.

‘You called evidence designed to persuade police he had not been
attacked at your home.

‘
Judge Stable said that they ‘successfully’ perverted the course
of justice despite a ‘massive’ police investigation to establish
exactly who was responsible for the attack.

The judge said that it was ‘as bad a case of its sort as is
possible’ and because the Crown could offer no evidence in relation to
the serious assault charges they had avoided prison sentences of
between eight and 10 years.

Walsh and Nightingale were each jailed for five years.

The court had heard how on July 1, last year, an ambulance was
called to St Mark’s Rise and unconscious Mr Cotter was taken first to
nearby Homerton Hospital and soon after to St Bartholemew’s Hospital
in the City where he received neuro-surgery.

Mr Cotter was in a coma for weeks and suffered severe brain
damage, said Mr Bruce Houlder, prosecuting.

It was a fortnight before police were able to identify him and
inform relatives of his condition.

During police interviews Walsh and Nightingale maintained that he
had been viciously mugged and they were released without charge.

The court heard that during a lengthy and expensive police
investigation forensic evidence in relation to blood stains found at
the defendant’s flat revealed that the attack could only have taken
place there.

On September 4 they were re-arrested in the light of what had
been found.

But in further interviews Walsh and Nightingale maintained that
that they had helped out Mr Cotter who they had known as ‘John.

‘
Detectives said it is likely that the victim had been to the
heavy drinking couple’s home on the evening of June 30.

He was then subjected to the ferocious attack in which head
injuries were caused by kicks.

Outside court Pol.

Ins.

John Sweeney, attached to Hornsey
Police Station, said the couple had ‘conspired together
and concocted the story.

‘
Mr Sweeney added: ‘Police have never been able to prove what
happened in the flat.

‘
ENDS