A DATE has been set for a court hearing which will determine whether the sentences handed down to three people who helped the killers of Carlisle man Ryan Kirkpatrick were “unduly lenient”. 

Appeal Court judges will consider the cases of Ross Neville and Michael Celmins, both 32, and 23-year-old Olivia Memmory, on February 14.

The trio were all sentenced in early December after they each admitted an allegation of assisting knife thug Kane Hull and his sidekick Liam Porter in the hours and days after their “execution style” murder of 24-year-old Mr Kirkpatrick.

He was stabbed to death at Carlyle's Court in Carlisle city centre on September 18, 2021 in front of horrified bystanders.  

Neville, from Canonbie, was given the lightest sentence, a 12-month community order with 200 hours unpaid work, a 6-month curfew and a fine of £12,000. 

At his sentencing hearing, the judge was told that Neville’s criminal record consisted of 42 previous offences, including violent disorder and dishonesty. 

He helped Hull and Porter by transporting them on the night of the murder, and providing accommodation, though it was accepted he was initially unaware they were wanted for murder.

He did, however, continue helping Hull and Porter after learning that they were suspected of a fatal stabbing. Hull summoned Neville to a rendezvous near Carlisle Airport shortly after the murder, when an eye-witness saw burning items being thrown out of his car. 

The next day, Neville drove Hull to Newcastle, where the murderer attempted to see his solicitor. 

Within hours of this, Neville was helping Hull and Porter to search for holiday accommodation. He was also involved in taking Hull and Porter to Kingstown Industrial Estate a few days after the murder so they could collect another new car. 

Neville’s defence barrister said he had made “huge efforts” to turn his life around, creating a commercial vehicle business, with a £300,000 turnover. 

Celmins, from Irthington, was jailed for a year. He helped Hull and Porter by providing them with a stolen Skoda car after they burned the Volvo they were in when they sped away from Carlisle city centre after the stabbing.

Memmory, from Cummersdale, was given the longest sentence – 19 months jail. She booked accommodation for the killers in Alston, Belfast and then the Republic of Ireland.  She claimed that she thought the trips were a holiday. 

She was also said to have bought replacement clothing for the men. 

A defence barrister said Memmory believed Hull's 'protestations of innocence' after confronting him about the fatal stabbing. It was also claimed that there was an 'imbalance of power' between Hull and Memmory. 

Earlier this month, a spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office said: “I can confirm that the Solicitor General has referred the sentences of Ross Neville, Michael Celmins and Oliva Memmory to the Court of Appeal as he agrees that they appear unduly lenient. 

"It is now for the Court to decide whether to increase the sentence.” 

Hull and Porter denied murder but they were convicted on 'overwhelming' evidence after a trial at Carlisle Crown Court.