ALLEGATIONS that a solicitor told a witness's mother she ‘did not need’ to go to police with her evidence are to be investigated.

Michelle Wilkinson, witness and next-door neighbour of killer Joshua Spruce, told the trial she overheard Spruce talking on his mobile, saying he had badly beaten someone who came at him with a hammer.

She said she passed the information on to mother Carole, who went to tell Spruce’s mother Sharron, sister Emma and her solicitor fiancé William Hurley about what her daughter had heard.

All four work together at Moss Haselhurst Solicitors, which represented Joshua Spruce and has a branch in Castle Street.

Miss Wilkinson said her mother told her Mr Hurley said she did not need to go to the police with her evidence as it was ‘hearsay’ and ‘irrelevant’, so it came as a huge shock when police threatened to arrest her three-months later for withholding evidence.

Taking the stand she said: “I was very upset, I had lived next door to them for years and it made me upset that they would be willing to get me in trouble.

“I was told it was hearsay, Sharon came round to the house and asked me personally if I could not say anything about this to anyone.

“I didn’t have any reason to doubt that what he (Mr Hurley) was telling me was the truth.”

Mrs Wilkinson confirmed her daughter’s account. She said: “Will was probably the more qualified of the people who said it – both he and Sharron said it wasn’t relevant.”

A spokesman for Cheshire Police said now the trial has concluded, investigations will begin.

He said: “During the course of the trial sworn evidence was given by a witness in the witness box which raised concerns regarding advice provided by a local solicitor to another witness.

“Following the conclusion of the trial it is now appropriate for police enquiries to be made into the circumstances surrounding the witness' comments."

At the end of the trial today, Thursday, Judge Roderick Evans enquired as to what action would now be taken regarding Miss Wilkinson’s testimony.

Prosecutor Andrew Thomas told him: “I can assure you that that matter has been under anxious consideration and those who are here may have noticed there have been members from the force’s major investigations team present.

“We have been waiting for the conclusion of the case.”