Prosecution claim Wickford traveller's death was sparked by row over children fighting
Hugh Doherty died after being shot in the chest
Richard DugganActing News Editor
Fighting between traveller children and a Facebook post ended with a man being murdered with a shotgun on Easter Sunday, a court heard.
Hugh "Quhey" Doherty died after being shot in the chest on April 16 shortly after his sister Esther suffered a string of knife wounds all over her body at the traveller site on Cranfield Park Avenue in Wickford.
While father-of-seven Mr Doherty died as a result his injuries, Ms Doherty was taken to hospital where she was treated for "long, deep cuts" to her forehead, chest, elbows and hands.
Two days later, Levi Draper and partner Harriet Crittenden, were arrested by officers as they were spotted driving on the A12 near Witham.
Draper, 27, who was raised by Ms Doherty and his uncle John Cooper, was charged with Mr Doherty's murder, the attempted murder of Ms Doherty, wounding with intent, possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger.
Crittenden, 25, who is seven months pregnant with her fourth child by Draper, was also charged with Ms Doherty's attempted murder, her wounding with intent and having an offensive weapon in a public place.
The pair, who deny the allegations, were brought before Chelmsford Crown Court for the start of their trial today (Tuesday, October 17).
After the jury of twelve were sworn and Judge Charles Gratwicke made them aware of procedural matters, prosecutor Simon Denison QC opened the crown's against the pair.
"This case is about a minor argument between two families, about their children fighting that suddenly and inexplicably ended in violence," explained Mr Denison.
"It left a man called "Quhey" Doherty shot dead and his sister, a woman called Esther Doherty, with severe knife wounds.
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"The people involved in this incident are all members of a large wider family who live together on a traveller site.
"It's a few miles to the south of here, just off the A127 between Basildon and Wickford - it's called Willow Farm."
Mr Denison told the jury how Crittenden, is known to everyone as "Sherri-Ann" and has three children with Draper, aged between five and 10, and that they lived in a static caravan in the Willow Farm site.
He also revealed how Ms Doherty, who also lived at the farm with her partner John Cooper, is a mother of seven who helped to raise Draper.
"But they've grown apart," said Mr Denison.
Hugh Doherty died after being shot on Easter Sunday
"Hugh Doherty was a visitor - he had nothing to do with the background to this incident."
Mr Denison recounted how ten days prior to the fatal altercation, Ms Doherty had several heated telephone conversations with Crittenden and Draper, in which both parties blamed the other's children for fighting.
This ended when Ms Doherty's father, Bernard, spoke to Levi and asked for the matter to be settled amicably.
But the spat seems to have been reignited by passionate Facebook post written by Crittenden, which said that anyone who did not like what happened at the farm should "leave".
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On the evening of the fatal altercation, Ms Doherty went to speak to the defendants about the issues, after having been drinking in The Dick Turpin pub with her brother and husband.
"She went to the door of the caravan where she says she was immediately attacked by Sheri-Ann by what she says was a blue handled knife," said Mr Denison.
"She was then attacked by Levi with a curved weapon - he chopped her a number of times.
"She was cut, long deep cuts on her forehead, her front right chest, her right shoulder both elbows, her stomach, both hands and her left knee."
It was at this point that Ms Doherty's brother and husband were said to have run to her aid.
Mr Cooper, then removed his shirt "ready for a fight", but claims to have seen Draper raise what turned out to be a shotgun and fire at Mr Doherty.
"He shot him at the chest," said Mr Denison.
"He was loading it to fire it again when it was taken by him from someone else."
Mr Cooper is not the only witness to claim that Draper shot Mr Doherty.
The prosecution say that his then 13-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, and her 14-year-old cousin, Lily, witnessed the incident.
Mr Denison continued: "Each of them says they saw Esther on the ground, Sherri-Ann on the steps holding a knife, raised up as if in triumph, and Levi Draper holding a large object which turned out to be a gun.
"They saw him raise it and shoot Hugh."