Mother of Maxine Carr on charge of intimidation

The mother of Maxine Carr will face trial on a charge of intimidating a witness in the Soham murder case, a court was told yesterday.

Shirley Capp, 60, is accused of intimidating Marian Westerman on May 13 last year. She denied the charge at a hearing at Grimsby Crown Court last year.

At another hearing earlier this month Judge John Reddihough fixed a provisional trial date for May 17 at the same court. These matters could not be reported until yesterday for legal reasons.

The charge reads: "On May 13, 2003, knowing or believing that Marian Elizabeth Westerman was a witness in proceedings for an offence, did an act, namely made threats, which intimidated and was intended to intimidate Marian Elizabeth Westerman, intending thereby to cause the course of justice to be obstructed, perverted or interfered with." Ms Capp is due to appear again on March 26. She was not in court yesterday.