Jordan Marples-Douglas trial: Lover of accused murderer faces JAIL after helping him flee UK
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A Sheffield Crown Court trial heard how Ben Jones, aged 26, formerly of Archdale Road, Manor, Sheffield, has already been found guilty of murdering Jordan Marples-Douglas at his home on Woodthorpe Road, near Richmond, Sheffield, on March 6, 2020.
Kath Goddard, prosecuting, told how Jones and another man – who is still at large - appeared to force their way into the property as the door opened and Mr Marples-Douglas was later found in his bedroom covered in blood.
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Hide AdMs Goddard said the other man was helped by his girlfriend Dina Aweimrin to leave the country and it is believed he flew to Somalia.
Aweimrin, aged 22, of Oakdale Road, Nether Edge, Sheffield, had pleaded not guilty to assisting an alleged offender but on April 13 a jury found her guilty of this offence.
Judge Jeremy Richardson QC told Aweimrin: “You were responsible for assisting a ‘murderer’ leaving this country. You made the arrangements. You were remarkably effective in so doing.”
Ms Goddard said Aweimrin researched and booked a flight for her boyfriend from Manchester to Dubai from where he is believed to have flown to Somalia.
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Hide AdAweimrin accepted booking and paying for taxis and flights for her boyfriend but she claimed she thought he had an ill relative and claimed she had no knowledge Mr Marples-Douglas had been killed.
Vanessa Saxton, defending, requested bail and a pre-sentence probation report prior to Aweimrin’s sentencing but Judge Richardson said: “You are in far too serious territory for that. She has assisted a ‘murderer’ to escape justice. It’s immediate custody. It has to be.”
He said: “She has a lover who is in Somalia and and it was remarkably easy to leave the country and it’s not that difficult even now if you are determined.”
Judge Richardson further told Aweimrin: “It’s a risk I cannot take. I do not want two individuals who have involved themselves in serious criminality to evade justice and for that reason you must be remanded into custody.”
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Hide AdMs Goddard said Mr Marples-Douglas was stabbed repeatedly about the head and body in his bedroom and the cause of death was a combination of internal injures and blood loss.
She had originally claimed Mr Marples-Douglas died as a result of a drug-debt allegedly owed to Jones’s step-brother Aaron Johnson and she had claimed an arrangement had allegedly been made for Jones and Aweimrin’s boyfriend to pursue and enforce the debt.
However, Mr Johnson, aged 22, of Mawfa Crescent, Norton, Sheffield, was found not guilty of murder.
Jones told the jury he had only visited Mr Marples-Douglas to buy drugs when he claimed Mr Marples-Douglas became upset about the presence of Aweimrin’s boyfriend and Jones admitted punching Mr Marples-Douglas.
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Hide AdJones claimed Mr Marples-Douglas and Aweimrin’s boyfriend were swinging knives and he claimed he had struggled to disarm Mr Marples-Douglas.
Jones claimed he was guilty of manslaughter but was found guilty of murder.
Judge Richardson adjourned the case until April 16 when Jones and Aweimrin will be sentenced. Both were remanded in custody.