Two men jailed for life for killing a teenager over a £20 drugs debt
Two men have been jailed for life for killing a teenager in a row over a £20 drug debt.
Connor Smith, 26, and Martin Wilson, 37 conspired and carried out their plan to kill Nyle Corrigan, 19, on 12 November 2020.
Nyle was cycling on Boode Croft, Stockbridge Village, Merseyside, not realising that Smith and Wilson lay in wait for him armed with a 9mm Glock pistol.
The two men had travelled to the scene on foot, wearing gloves and masks that they had purchased that night to hide their identities.
As Nyle rode past, the men called out to him, before shooting him in the back. The shot was fatal, and he was left to die whilst the two men escaped on his bike. Paramedics were called to the scene but were unable to save Nyle.
Nyle’s murder was captured by a CCTV camera.
The Crown Prosecution Service alleged that Wilson and Smith hatched a plan to shoot Nyle in the days leading up to the 12 November 2020 and they were supported in the planning and clean-up operation by Jamie Coggins (28).
The jury at Liverpool Crown Court returned guilty verdicts on 17 December 2024 after a five-week trial. Wilson and Smooth were both convicted of murder and conspiracy to possession a firearm with intent to endanger life. Jamie Coggins was convicted of assisting an offender. He was acquitted of murder and possession of a firearm with intent.
Anthony Llewellyn was also accused of murder, possession of a firearm with intent and assisting in the planning and clean up after the murder. He was acquitted of all charges. Melanie Smith and Mark Sharp, the parents of Smith, were accused of helping their son evade justice and escape to Spain. The jury acquitted them.
Today (19 December 2024) Wilson and Smith were sentenced to life imprisonment and must serve a minimum of 32 years in prison before they can be considered for parole. Coggins received four years' imprisonment for assisting an offender.
The prosecution was able to present evidence at the trial that showed an increasing feud between Nyle and Wilson in the days before Nyle’s murder. The evidence included complex telephone data and CCTV evidence to show the association of the defendants before and after the murder.
Connor Smith left the country after Nyle’s murder but was eventually traced to Spain. He returned to the UK voluntarily in May 2023 to answer questions regarding Nyle’s death.
Senior Crown Prosecutor James Allison, of CPS Mersey-Cheshire’s Complex Casework Unit, said: “The murder of Nyle Corrigan was not some random act of street violence. It was rather a targeted and planned attack, executed with ruthless efficiency by two men who had staked out the location knowing that Nyle was due to be there.
“Pride and ego were at stake. Wilson and Smith had sourced a semi-automatic pistol and live ammunition, they had knowledge of the area and of their victim, they came prepared with face coverings and gloves.
“They were able to move into position at the right time, in the right place and armed with the means to kill Nyle. They also had a plan to flee the scene and avoid detection by disposing of the firearm and their clothing, knowing that it could link them to the murder.
"The careful examination of evidence by Merseyside Police enabled the Crown Prosecution Service to build a case against the defendants. Our thoughts remain with Nyle’s family who have long campaigned for justice for their son and brother. I hope that today’s convictions bring them some sense of closure.”