Wirral's independent local news website
A man has today, Tuesday 15 March, been found guilty of the murder of his girlfriend in their Wavertree home.
Mohammed Diakite, 20, also known as Nigel, denied strangling 20-year-old N’Taya Elliott-Cleverley in the early hours of 29 January 2021 at their home in Prince Alfred Road.
But following a two week trial at Liverpool Crown Court he was found guilty of murder.
Sentencing has been adjourned until Monday 21 March.
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Speight said, “This was a terrible and unprovoked assault which led to the death of a young mum in her own home. N’Taya’s family and friends have been left devastated, not only by her loss, but by the brutal manner in which she died.
“Their agony has also been compounded by the fact that N’Taya’s daughter has also been left without a mother or a father.
“Diakite denied any knowledge of being responsible for N’Taya’s death and forced her family and friends to sit through the distressing ordeal of a trial.
“I am pleased that the jury saw through his lies and found him guilty and he will now serve a substantial sentence for his actions.
“I would like to this opportunity to praise N’Taya’s family for their dignity and composure through what has been a very difficult time. I know that no length of sentence will ever bring N’Taya back but I hope it means that her family can finally move on with their lives knowing that justice has been served and Diakite will be behind bars for a long time.
“Merseyside Police is committed to working with our communities and partners to tackle violence against women and girls and we will continue to do all we can to identify offenders and make our streets safer for women who live and work in our communities.
“My message to anyone suffering abuse, in any form, is please do not suffer in silence. Violence against women and girls should never be tolerated or dismissed and by coming forward with what you know means we can take positive action against offenders.
“You are not alone and there is a lot of help available, both via Merseyside Police and our partner organisations, so please take that first step.
“As a society we need to a strong stance against women and we will continue to work with our partners. If you need further help we can also talk to other agencies who can give you the ongoing support, advice and guidance you need.
“We have increased the number of officers in our specialist domestic abuse teams and have also used domestic violence prevention notices as well as the Domestic Violence Disclosure Schemes (DVDS), also known as Clare’s Law which gives someone in a relationship ‘the right to ask’ for information from various agencies, including the police, about a partner’s previous convictions, cautions, reprimands or final warnings for any offence of violence.
“I would also encourage neighbours and friends of those that are suffering from abuse to speak up. Trust your instincts – if something you’ve seen or heard doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. By knowing the signs of abuse, you could help a friend, colleague or family member. Domestic abuse isn’t just physical – it can be emotional, physical, sexual, financial or controlling behaviour.”
Anyone with information can contact @MerPolCC, 101 or @CrimestoppersUK, anonymously on 0800 555 111
The Silent Solution is a service that means a vulnerable person can call 999 and alert police, by pressing ’55.’ This will indicate that help is needed and police will respond.
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