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13
Oct
Harrogate flat murder: police respond after victim reported killer before his death
Police have responded after it was revealed a Harrogate murder victim reported his killer numerous times before his death.
Philip Watson, 35, murdered 56-year-old Paul Tillett at his Strawberry Dale flat in Harrogate in the early hours of September 29, 2024.
Watson, who was described as a bully and a psychopath during court proceedings, was handed a life sentence at Leeds Crown Court on October 3 with a minimum term of 31 years and 108 days for the killing.
The prosecution originally told the court Mr Tillett reported Watson to police three times, but later said he reported the killer "at least twice" before his death.
Mr Tillett called the police after Watson punched a hole in his wall and threatened to smack him on May 31, 2024. He made another report to the police the following day after Watson kicked his way into Mr Tillett's property and lunged at him with a knife, but did not make contact.
Watson was arrested for the latter incident and placed on police bail, which prohibited him from contacting Mr Tillett and visiting 8 Strawberry Dale, where he lived.
He did not comply with the conditions.
But Watson’s extensive criminal history - which comprised 84 convictions and three previous stints in prison before the murder - as well as Mr Tillett’s reports to police about Watson, raised questions over whether more could have been done to get Watson off the streets sooner.
The Stray Ferret put this, and a number of other questions, to North Yorkshire Police in June, when the trial of Jason Johnson – Watson’s co-accused – came to a dramatic end.
We asked the force why more wasn’t done to protect Mr Tillett after he reported Watson.
Multiple witnesses told the court they are terrified of Watson, with one telling the court he “still has people outside of prison”. The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire Police to respond to those claims.
In addition, one witness recounted Watson bragging about holding a woman hostage, plying her with drugs and telling her that he had killed her son and “hid the body in Paul Tillett’s sofa”.
We asked the force if it ever investigated these allegations and, if so, whether Watson ever faced retribution.
North Yorkshire Police did not respond until after Watson was sentenced, which it said was "standard policy".
The force provided a brief response, when a spokesperson said:
The lengthy sentence that has been handed down reflects the severity of Watson’s actions and is testament to the police investigation.
At court the Judge disclosed the various safeguarding measures that were preciously put in place.
When North Yorkshire Police launched an investigation into Mr Tillett’s murder, it said officers were in the process of notifying the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) – the police complaints watchdog for England and Wales – following “previous police contact with the deceased”.
The force said at the time this was “standard procedure”.
A police spokesperson told the Stray Ferret the IOPC investigation has now closed and the force had “nothing further to add”.
When we asked for the outcome of the investigation, the spokesperson said:
The IOPC has closed their [sic] investigation. The case was reviewed internally and there is no further action to be taken.
'We just feel a bit let down'
Leeds Crown Court heard Mr Tillett was considered vulnerable; he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and assigned a social worker, and had struggled with drug misuse at points in his life.
He operated an open-door policy at his flat, which was abused by Watson, who, along with other drug users, took over his home to drink alcohol and smoke crack-cocaine.
The Stray Ferret put the police’s response to Mr Tillett’s family.
One of his relatives responded on behalf of the family, saying:
We just feel a bit let down by all involved with Paul, including the police. He should have had safeguarding in place.
We were all aware there were issues going on, but we do not really feel as though anything was done.
She said Mr Tillett’s sisters knew about Watson lunging at Mr Tillett with a knife, and said he told one of his sisters: “If Watson gets near me again, he will kill me”.
However, the family said the police family liaison officers were “amazing”, adding they also had regular meetings with the officer who led the investigation.
They were “kept in the loop” throughout the investigation and were provided information when it could be shared by police, Mr Tillett's relative said.
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