Life imprisonment for Oswaldtwistle doorstep murderer
Last updated 8th May 2018
An Oswaldtwistle father, who tried to convince his son to take the blame for murder, has today been jailed for life with a minimum of 26 years.
Matthew Moseley, 50, of Barnard Close, Oswaldtwistle was found guilty of the murder of Lee Holt, 32, from Accrington on Friday (May 4th) following a three week trial at Preston Crown Court.
During the trial Moseley denied he was responsible for the shooting, stating that is was his son Thomas Moseley, 14, who pulled the trigger.
The shooting followed a disturbance at Moseley’s address on Barnard Close on Wednesday, October 25th at around 8:25pm.
As officers were on their way, it was established that Lee Holt had been shot in the chest and was not breathing. He was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital where he sadly later died.
Mr Holt had attended Moseley’s address with a woman and two boys in relation to an on-going dispute between one of the boys and Moseley’s son, Thomas, who lived at the house.
Following an altercation near to the front door, Moseley - a licensed shotgun holder - grabbed a firearm from a nearby cabinet and fatally shot Mr Holt who was standing at the front of the house.
He subsequently tried to encourage Thomas to take the blame for the shooting despite knowing he was responsible.
Detective Chief Inspector Jill Johnston from Lancashire’s Force Major Investigation Team (FMIT): “I am pleased with the sentence handed to Matthew Moseley which is nothing less than he deserves.
“He tried to convince his own son to take the blame and denied all responsibility for killing Lee Holt during the trial, pointing the finger back at Thomas. How any parent could do that to their own child is beyond comprehension.
“I would like to thank Lee Holt’s family for conducting themselves with such dignity and courage throughout the whole process and also the witnesses that gave evidence in such a difficult and emotive case.
“There are no winners in this; the Holt family may have received justice but they have lost a dearly loved father, son, partner, brother and uncle. Thomas now also has to try and build a life for himself knowing his dad is in prison after trying to blame him. I wish them all the best with moving forward with their lives.”
A victim statement from the mother of Lee Holt was also read out in court.
“Lee lived in a house on the same street as me. In fact, directly opposite me. He didn’t pop in for a brew everyday, but he often did.
“It may only be a flying visit, but he’d pop his head around the door and say ‘Hi Mum, just a quick one, you OK?’ or he’d wave through the window at me. I miss that. I still struggle to believe it won’t happen again. Ever.
“Somebody has moved into his old home now. When I go out of my front door and see a light on in the living room of the his house, for a fleeting second I still think ‘Lee’s in’. But then it hits me that he isn’t ‘in’. He isn’t at home. He isn’t going to come out of his front door ever again."