AFTER more than a week of deliberations, the jury in the Alison McBlain murder trial finally delivered their verdicts, telling a judge they found four of the six defendants guilty of her unlawful killing.
At Preston Crown Court on Monday afternoon, the jury presented judge Sir Peter Openshaw with their verdicts.
For the murder of Alison McBlain, the jury unanimously found Joshua Titterington, Kaylib Connolly, Dean Qayum and Karis Poynton guilty.
READ:Alison McBlain was murdered over stolen drugs, say prosecution
They found Jon-Paul Chatwood not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter.
For the attempted murder of Christian Rivers, the jury found both Qayum and Connolly guilty.
All the other defendants were found not guilty.
READ:Witness tells murder trial how Fiat Punto 'speeded up' before hitting him and Alison McBlain
For the third charge of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent on Christian Rivers, Titterington, Qayum, Connolly and Poynton were found guilty.
Chatwood was found not guilty.
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The youth defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found not guilty for all charges on the indictment and was allowed to leave the court.
Alison McBlain and Christian Rivers were hit by a Fiat Punto being driven by Connolly, on Tuesday November 19 2019, in King Street in Blackburn.
The attack was in retaliation to Christian Rivers stealing £60 worth of crack cocaine and heroin from Connolly on November 18, in what was described as a 'drugs taxing'.
READ:Teen driver of car that killed Alison McBlain tells jury 'it was a genuine accident'
While Christian survived, Alison did not, and she was pronounced dead two days later, having succumbed to her injuries while in hospital.
Following the incident, an investigation was launched and a number of arrests were made in connection with her death, and on January 4, six people stood in the dock accused of her murder as trial proceedings began at Preston Crown Court.
READ:Slow puncture on Fiat Punto could help defence case in Alison McBlain murder trial
Over the course of five weeks, the jury heard evidence from witnesses, crime scene investigators and the defendants themselves, and on Wednesday February 10 they retired to deliberate.
Following the guilty verdicts, a sentencing hearing for Chatwood, Connolly, Qayum, Titterington and Poynton will take place at Preston Crown Court on Wednesday.
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