Murder suspect ‘not well enough’ to appear in court after man killed in Eastchurch

A murder suspect accused of killing a man who was shot in the chest at a holiday park has not appeared in court after becoming unwell while in custody.

Jonathon Lawlor allegedly caused the death of Sam Petrou, 35, who was found dead at Cliff Cottage Chalet Park in Fourth Avenue, Eastchurch, Sheppey.

It is understood Mr Petrou died at around 8pm on Saturday, June 10, but police were not called to the site until 11am the following day – he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Lawlor and his girlfriend, Daisy Donohoe, were arrested on Thursday, June 15 and on Saturday, Lawlor, 42, of no fixed address, was arrested in Newcastle and later charged with murder.

He was due to appear in court on Monday but didn’t because he was instead taken to hospital for treatment.

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It was thought he may have been fit enough to appear today, but he was still in hospital and in an unusual move, the case was heard in his absence at Medway Magistrates’ Court.

Magistrates sent the case to Maidstone Crown Court and Lawlor is expected to appear there on Thursday, June 22. He was remanded in custody until then.

Donohoe, 35, of Burnell Avenue, Welling, was charged with assisting an offender after being arrested at her home and is alleged to have picked him up in her car after the incident, brought him new clothes and stayed in a hotel with him.

She is also said to have got rid of the clothes he was wearing on the day Mr Petrou was killed.

Both were remanded in custody by police over the weekend and Donohoe appeared at Medway Magistrates’ Court yesterday morning, where she denied the allegation against her.

She appeared via video link from Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court and her case was sent to Maidstone Crown Court to be dealt with, where she will appear for a preliminary hearing on Monday, July 17.

The court heard the gun used to kill Mr Petrou has not yet been located by officers and yesterday, District Judge William Nelson, granted her conditional bail until her next hearing, but the CPS prosecutor, Debbie Jones, immediately appealed that decision.

This meant Donohoe has to be kept in custody until she can appear before a judge at crown court for a further bail application, which will happen within the next couple of days.

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Five people were originally arrested as part of the investigation.

Mr Petrou’s death was met with an outpouring of grief on social media, with many, including his dad, Nick, paying tribute.

He wrote: “He was so loved – the amount of posts and heartfelt comments people have put up of him has blown me away.

“I would like to thank each and everyone of you from the bottom of my broken heart.”

Mr Petrou was living in south east London at the time of his death.