THE partner of a York woman accused of murder has claimed they decided together to “go down the vigilante route” after she told him she had been raped.

Michael Hillier, 39, admits the manslaughter of Liam Smith, 38, who was lured from his home in Wigan, Greater Manchester, on November 24 last year, shot, and had sulphuric acid poured over him as he lay dying.

Both Hillier and Rachel Fulstow, 37, of Andrew Drive, Huntington, deny murdering Mr Smith. Fulstow also denies perverting the course of justice.

Manchester Minshall Crown Court heard that Fulstow and Mr Smith had a Tinder date in 2019 which included sexual intercourse.

Hillier claimed Fulstow told him she had been raped by Mr Smith. 

Giving evidence, Hiller alleged he felt strongly that “a crime as heinous as rape” should be reported to the police, but Fulstow felt she would not be believed.

He said: “We decided jointly between the two of us that we would deal with the matter ourselves and seek justice ourselves and go down the vigilante route.

“It’s not surprising given only 1.6 per cent of all reported rapes make it to court.”

He alleged he asked her to tell him all the details of the incident if he was to carry out an attack on Mr Smith.

“I need to know every nitty gritty bit of detail so the attack can be justified,” he told the court.

Hillier, of Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, alleged his friends knew someone had “tasked” him with “harming a rapist”, although they did not all know Fulstow was involved.

He described a friend trying to talk him out of it on one occasion, when Fulstow was also present.

York Press: Michael Hillier who has admitted the manslaughter of Liam Smith but denies murder along with Rachel Fulstow, 37, at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester.Michael Hillier who has admitted the manslaughter of Liam Smith but denies murder along with Rachel Fulstow, 37, at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester. (Image: GMP)

He said: “Rachel said, I can’t remember the exact words, but she was saying she understands why I was doing it, fully supports me, and what I was doing was a just and noble cause.”

Fulstow has told the court she met Mr Smith in September 2019 after they connected through dating app Tinder.

She said they had sex, which she told the court was not consensual but she did not regard it as a rape.

She denies persuading her partner to carry out the attack.

Hillier, with a bald head and beard, stared towards Fulstow in the dock as he took the oath at the start of his evidence.

He told the jury he had struggled with mental health issues and was addicted to diazepam and sleeping tablets.

The trial continues.