Acid murder suspect ‘said he wanted victim “to suffer” in secret jail recording’

A MAN charged with murder, shooting and acid attack wanted his victim to ‘suffer’, a court has heard.

Michael Hillier, 39, was caught speaking in a secret prison recording about his involvement in the conspiracy to harm Liam Smith, 38.

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He is accused of joint murder with his girlfriend Rachel Fulstow (37).

The two are believed to have killed Mr Smith after Fulstow claimed he raped her.

Mr Smith, an electrician from Wigan in Greater Manchester, had a “brief liaison” with former nail technician Fulstow in 2019 with a one-night stand at a York hotel.

The next year, she became the partner of Hillier, who was not happy about the affair and “was led to believe she had been raped,” the court learned.

The jury was told that Mr Smith was lured from his home and gunned at point-blank range by Hillier, who then poured a corrosive liquid, believed to be sulfuric acid, on the face and body of his stricken victim.

After the attack in the early evening of November 24 last year, he was left dead on the street outside his home.

On a secret tape played to the Crown Court on Minshull Street in Manchester, Hillier is heard saying: “We both wanted him to suffer. It was never the intention that he would die.”

Hillier of Sheffield and Fulstow of York both deny the murder.

The process goes on.