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24
Jun
Harrogate murderer had ‘death list’ of people to kill, court hears
Warning: this article contains details some people may find upsetting.
A Harrogate murderer had a “death list” of people to be killed, Leeds Crown Court heard yesterday (June 23).
Philip Watson, 34, admitted murdering Paul Tillet, 56, at Mr Tillet's home on Strawberry Dale in September 2024. His co-accused, Jason Johnson, 27, denies murder.
Mr Tillet was found bound and gagged on the floor of his flat by police on September 29.
Both Mr Johnson and Watson were arrested the following day.
On the eighth day of the trial, the court heard a claim that five people were on Watson's death list.
It emerged when North Yorkshire Police detective constable Caitlin Coates gave details of her encounters with Laura Gwynn, who witnessed the attack but died the following month.
DC Coates, who gave evidence via a video link, was posted in Scarborough at the time.
She was part of the safeguarding team but had been tasked with making enquiries into Mr Tillet’s death by the force’s major incidents team.
Moved to Scarborough
Simon Kealey, defending, mentioned notes made by DC Coates when liaising with Miss Gwynn on a number of occasions and a report she produced last October.
DC Coates told the court she called Miss Gwynn, who was moved to Scarborough after the murder, shortly after 9am on October 18.
During the call, Miss Gwynn told DC Coates she was “involved in a murder case when she was younger, which went to the Old Bailey.”
Miss Gwynn said she had to testify at the time and was giving DC Coates the information as she would be a “good witness”.
Mr Kealey asked DC Coates if she had found it hard to grasp what Miss Gwynn was saying at times due to her speaking quickly. DC Coates confirmed she did.
Ms Gwynn also told DC Coates that her father had been involved in the Old Bailey case, adding:
I would be a good witness for this case but only if the police drop the bail conditions in place against [named man].
Bail conditions for a separate alleged offence were in place at the time, which prohibited Miss Gwynn and her partner from contacting each other, the court heard.
When DC Coates told Miss Gwynn she did not have the authority to remove the bail conditions in place, Miss Gwynn said her partner “keeps her safe”.
She also claimed to have overdosed eight times in the past due to her partner “not being with her”.
DC Coates confirmed to the court that Miss Gwynn refused to engage with the police unless the bail conditions were dropped.
Miss Gwynn then ended the phone call.
DC Coates told the court she made Miss Gwynn aware that things could become difficult for her if she continually refused to cooperate with police, such as providing a DNA sample or a witness statement, but that she had the right to decline.
She was within her right to decline, which she did, and I told her all this. I wanted to make her aware.
Witness 'not interested in speaking to the police'
More notes prepared by DC Coates were also cited, but the defence could not confirm if they had been written on October 18 or 19.
DC Coates called Ms Gwynn at 10.48am.
Miss Gwynn answered but quickly ended the call, so DC Coates called her back.
Miss Gwynn again declined to provide the police with a DNA sample and told Coates she was “not interested in speaking to the police” unless the bail conditions against her partner at the time were dropped.
“Miss Gwynn said she was at the scene and that the police already had her clothing, so she questioned why officers needed more DNA”, the court heard.
DC Coates wrote in her notes about the conversation:
She [Laura Gwynn] said she had no involvement, and they tortured her friend, Paul.
When DC Coates told Miss Gwynn the suspects involved could “suggest she was also involved”, Miss Gwynn laughed and hung up the phone.
'She said she had nightmares every night'
Miss Gwynn was seen by council CCTV operatives walking around Scarborough on October 28.
The court heard she was asleep under a sleeping bag outside a shop when DC Coates and her colleague found her.
DC Coates and her colleague, who were both wearing plain clothes, approached Miss Gwynn and introduced themselves.
Miss Gwynn apologised to DC Coates for “being angry” when they spoke over the phone.
DC Coates’ report said:
Laura Gwynn started crying…she said she didn’t want to be in Scarborough.
She has said she had overdosed six times since being in Scarborough. She said she discharged herself from hospital in Scarborough with pneumonia.
Miss Gwynn also told DC Coates she could “prove the murder was pre-meditated”.
But, the court heard, Miss Gwynn said she would only provide police with the information if they dropped the alleged case against her partner at the time.
The report added:
Laura Gwynn said she called Philip Watson ‘Watto’, and he knows people who will come looking for her and kill her.
She started to cry and said she had nightmares every night about Paul being tortured.
Miss Gwynn also told DC Coates she was “on a death list of people to be killed by Watto”.
Four named men were also on the list, Miss Gwynn claimed.
She alleged Mr Johnson was “equally to blame” for Mr Tillet’s death.
“He pushed the bread bun in his mouth and set fire to his face”, Miss Gwynn told DC Coates.
DC Coates’ report also said:
Watson planned to get more crack, then go back to dispose of the body.
[Ms Gwynn] said had she not told Natasha Simpson to call the police, Jason Johnson and Philip Watson would’ve disposed of Paul Tillet’s body.
Miss Gwynn and DC Coates met again the following day at a Cooplands café in Scarborough.
DC Coates wrote in her notes that Ms Gwynn appeared “chatty and sober” at the time.
During the meeting, Miss Gwynn told DC Coates:
If police had done a welfare check on Paul Tillet the day before the murder, he would probably still be alive.
‘Prolonged and persistent’ attack
Earlier in the trial, Jamie Hill KC, prosecuting, said that Mr Tillet had been subjected to a “prolonged and persistent” attack which had “elements of torture”.
Mr Hill told the court that it was the prosecution’s case that Watson was the “main offender” and carried out most of the attack.
However, he said Mr Johnson encouraged Watson to murder Mr Tillet.
In a statement during police interview, Mr Johnson accepted he was present at the attack in Mr Tillet’s flat. However, he said “at no point” did he come into physical contact with Mr Tillet and that he considered the victim a friend.
The trial continues.
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