PCC statement following sentencing of Liam Cain for murder of Courtney Boorne
21.07.23 - Merseyside
Following the news that Liam Cain has today been sentenced to life with a minimum of 17 years for the murder of Courtney Boorne, Merseyside's Police Commissioner has released the following statement.
Emily Spurrell said: “First and foremost, I’d like to send my heartfelt sympathies to Courtney’s loved ones who have been through a deeply traumatic and highly emotional time since her murder on December 23rd.
“Courtney was a beautiful, caring young woman, just twenty years old, with her whole future ahead of her before her life was cruelly and viciously taken away by the person supposed to love and care about her the most.
“Liam Cain is a coward who lied in court, saying he acted in self-defence, to try to blame Courtney for his brutality and actions that destroyed her future and devastated her family.
“Sadly, Courtney’s tragic story is just one example of the abuse women and girls are experiencing in our communities every single day. Violence against women and girls is embedded into the fabric of our culture and is all too often tolerated in a society which allows misogynistic attitudes and sexism to fester.
“We must put a stop to the epidemic of violence and abuse women face. To protect ourselves now, but also our children and grandchildren.
“I am totally committed in my pledge to help end Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG); no woman should have to live in fear of their abusers or feel they need to change their own behaviours due to the threat of violence or harassment.
“Working with Merseyside Police, I’m committed to being a force for positive change for all women and girls across Merseyside – working to prevent violence and provide better support for victims. These are absolute priorities for me. It’s why, last November, I joined together with more than 50 partners from organisations and agencies across Merseyside like RASA, RASASC, LDAS and Savera UK to launch the VAWG Delivery Plan to bring about societal change and make a genuine difference by ensuring learning, knowledge and expert experience is shared across our region with enhanced support available to all victims.
“This week our Safer Streets Merseyside campaign returned to the streets and will run across the summer and beyond, aimed at improving women’s safety by making it clear to perpetrators there is no excuse for behaviours such as catcalling and unwanted sexual comments, groping and uninvited touching. It also encourages anyone affected by sexual violence to reach out for support.
“No justice will ever bring Courtney back and for her loved ones Christmas will never be the same again but I hope today’s verdict and the knowledge that Cain will have to spend a considerable amount of time in prison will bring some comfort.
“I hope Cain spends his time behind bars reflecting on his cowardly actions and this sentence serves as a reminder to all abusers that violence against women and girls will not be tolerated.”
Courtney’s mum Cheryl Boorne said: “I now live day-to-day and do not stop, so I don’t have to think of what happened to her. I always have people around me as I don’t want to be on my own and it keeps my mind occupied.
“My family have been a great support and keeping me busy so that I can carry on. I have no choice as my children need their mum, they have suffered enough with their sister, who they loved so much, taken away from them.
“Courtney has six siblings and the three youngest siblings have been receiving counselling due to them struggling to understand why she is not coming home.
“One of her siblings has stopped going to school and is struggling with his emotions with Courtney not being here.
“My other child suffers from nightmares but doesn’t understand that Courtney won’t be home. Another one now has angry outbursts and gets upset easily. Then my youngest child is too young to understand and ask when she is coming back and to bring his birthday present. How do a tell a six-year-old child that he will never see his sister again?
“Liam has destroyed our lives as he has taken Courtney away from us. Courtney was the heart and soul of this family and was precious to us all. I miss hearing her voice, I miss her singing in the kitchen trying to sing the high notes. I miss our phone calls and hearing her laugh. I miss our days out and seeing her play with her younger siblings. I am trying to hold my family together. Courtney will never be forgotten.”
Following the sentencing, Detective Inspector Laura Lamping said: “Courtney was only 20-years-old and had her whole life ahead of her, this was cruelly cut short.
“The devasting impact Courtney’s murder has had on the family has been insurmountable, and for them having to sit through the trial has been incredible traumatic. But they have remained composed and shown dignity while having to listen to the horrific event that night.
“Throughout the trial Cain denied murdering her, claiming he acted in self-defence. However, with the strong evidence against him the jury found this to be untrue and found him guilty.
“Courtney had sustained a terrifying ordeal on the night of her murder. During the investigation Courtney’s family and friends had told us that she wanted to end the relationship with Cain and move on in her life.
“Courtney was a really hard-working girl – she juggled three jobs to make a living. On the day of her murder, she was up at 6am and at work to one of her jobs as a carer. The other two jobs she died were hairdressing and as a housekeeper.
“Her senseless murder has been really difficult for the family. She was killed the day before Christmas Eve, which for any family is an awful time when she should have been enjoying the festive period with her family and friends.
“Nothing will bring Courtney back to her family, and no sentence can change what Cain did to her but I hope some they have some comfort in knowing that he has been brought to justice and paying for his crime.”
Det Insp Lamping added: “No one should be a victim of domestic abuse. And we at Merseyside Police continue to do everything we can to tackle any type of violence against women and girls.
“Our specialist team of officers will do everything in our power to support victims, target perpetrators and reduce violence by ensuring victims of domestic abuse feel believed and supported when they report offending to us.
“Domestic abuse is a complex issue and can take many forms. It can be psychological, financial, sexual, emotional and physical and we want to raise awareness of the support that is available to anyone who is or has experienced domestic abuse so that nobody else has to suffer in silence.
“We work closely with local domestic support organisations, local authorities, safeguarding teams and charities to ensure that services and ongoing support are available, including access to refuges.
“We have a number of specialist departments within the police to investigate these crimes but it’s important that we all work together to support survivors and collectively work to prevent these crimes occurring in the first place by raising awareness.”
Domestic abuse isn’t just physical – it can be emotional, sexual, financial or controlling behaviour. It can happen to anyone, regardless of gender. Some of the signs of domestic abuse, such as physical marks, may be easy to identify but others may be things you can easily explain away or overlook.
Often victims are either in a relationship with the perpetrator or have been historically, it can therefore be very hard for them to report what has been going on. They might still love their abuser, feel loyal to them, are protecting their children or are simply living in fear.
You can read more about the signs of domestic abuse or make a report online
https://www.merseyside.police.uk/police-forces/merseyside-police/areas/campaigns/campaigns/2023/january/domestic-abuse/
You can report by calling 101, if you are not in an emergency situation.
If you are in immediate danger, always call 999.
If you ring 999 and are not in a safe position to speak to us then cough or tap the phone and press 55, when prompted. This will alert the operator that you need assistance.
For support, please visit Victim Care Merseyside