Christopher Guest More

2 offences

What the court heard

He was found guilty (re-trial) of murder and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) in Knutsford, Cheshire, on 19 June 2003. Sentencing remarks of Sir Peter Openshaw 1. The defendant, Christopher Guest More is to be sentenced following his conviction after a long trial, on count 1, of the murder of Brian Waters and, on count 2, of conspiring to cause grievous bodily harm to SR. I need, briefly, to set out my findings of fact. 2. These offences were committed as long ago as the 19 June 2003. In earlier trials, in the years immediately following the offence, John Wilson, Otis Matthews and James Raven were convicted of the same offences. The defendant evaded justice for 18 years. 3. As is made clear from the Victim Personal Statement submitted by the family, to them Brian Waters was a loyal and devoted husband and father, and his family will remember him as such; but necessarily in the prosecution of this case the focus has been upon his life as a drug dealer. Although Brain Water's principal drugs business was in Holland, he had taken a short tenancy on Burnt House Farm, at Tabley near Knutsford. With a partner, he there set up a small cannabis farm. Because he was often away in Holland, he recruited his son Gavin, then in his early 20s and his partner's stepson, SR, then just 19, to help to water and harvest the crop. 4. Because of drug deals that went wrong, Waters became indebted to John Wilson, a more ruthless criminal. He could not pay the £20,000 which was demanded of him and Wilson determined to make an example of him. He knew that Waters had a cannabis farm but he did not know where it was. The defendant has a background in investigation and surveillance and Wilson engaged him to find the cannabis farm. 5. Accordingly, on the 10 June 2003, the defendant lay in wait outside the Waters' house in Mainwaring Close, Nantwich; he then followed the unsuspecting Gavin, as he drove to the farm. Having found the farm, the defendant told Wilson where it was. He went back on several occasions to keep watch on the farm, to see what was going on there, and who attended and - more importantly - when they would be there. Wilson discovered that Waters was likely to be at the farm on 19 June and planned and directed an attack on him at the farm to take place on that date. He put together a team consisting of James Raven, Otis Matthews, the defendant and others who have not yet been brought to justice. 6. In the early morning of that day, having assembled at…

Around this case

• Chester Crown Court
• Prosecuted by CPS Mersey-Cheshire
• Investigated by Cheshire Constabulary