Rachel Fulstow, a property manager, is serving a 30-year prison sentence for murder, despite being 100 miles away from the crime scene. Her mother, Jenny, and an appeal lawyer are seeking to overturn the conviction, asserting that Fulstow was a victim of a coercive and abusive relationship with Michael Hillier, the man who committed the murder.
Fulstow, 40, was convicted under the law of joint enterprise, with prosecutors arguing she conspired with Hillier, 42, to plan the fatal attack on Liam Smith, 38. Smith was shot in the face and doused in acid at his home in Wigan on November 24, 2022. Hillier, who has a previous suspended sentence for grievous bodily harm, carried out the attack while Fulstow was in York.
Fulstow's mother insists her daughter is not a murderer but rather a victim of Hillier's controlling behavior. "There's a man out there who isn't alive, not because of Rachel, but because of a monster that she had a relationship with," Jenny told the Daily Mail. She described Fulstow as having been raised in a loving, middle-class family and, after graduating from Leeds Metropolitan University, pursued a career in hospitality and property management.
The relationship between Fulstow and Hillier began in 2020 after matching on the dating app Hinge. Initially, Jenny Fulstow was impressed by Hillier, but gradually grew uneasy after her daughter shared abusive messages from him. Unbeknownst to Jenny, Hillier had also caused significant damage to Fulstow's home on multiple occasions.
The conviction hinges on an earlier encounter between Fulstow and Liam Smith in September 2019. Fulstow met Smith, an electrician, through Tinder. While the details of their meeting remain disputed, Fulstow later told Hillier about what she described as non-consensual sexual advances from Smith. Hillier became enraged, and according to his later testimony, decided that Smith would be harmed.
Fulstow maintained that she was unaware of the revenge plot, which unfolded over ten months. She claims Hillier warned her not to contact the police after he arrived at her home the morning after the murder. Hillier, however, testified that Fulstow had welcomed him and thanked him for the act.
Following the murder, Hillier and Fulstow went on holiday to Jamaica. Detectives linked Hillier to the crime through a vehicle used in the attack, which led them to Fulstow. During police interviews, Fulstow initially lied about her knowledge of Smith's death, which investigators considered damaging. Further evidence included internet searches on Fulstow's devices for terms like "Electrician Wigan" and "police response times."
At trial, Hillier changed his defense, accusing Fulstow of being the mastermind behind the plot. Fulstow denied these claims. Both were convicted of murder in August 2023. Hillier received a minimum sentence of 33 years, and Fulstow was sentenced to 30 years. The sentences were increased due to the use of a firearm.
Jenny Fulstow is now pursuing an application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, arguing that the jury did not hear the full extent of Hillier's coercive and controlling behavior, which she believes influenced her daughter's actions and her own fear.
Liam Smith's parents expressed their devastation following the trial, highlighting the profound loss for their son and his two young sons. Jenny Fulstow acknowledged their suffering, stating that while she has her daughter, Liam Smith's loved ones are experiencing unbearable grief. She maintains that her daughter is also a victim.