A mother and her two children have been convicted of murdering a man outside his residence.
Joanne Maxwell, along with her children Liam Donlin and Amie Clegg, was found guilty of killing Paul Scott on the doorstep of his home in Blackburn, Lancashire. This tragic event unfolded last year, following a violent altercation that stemmed from a birthday celebration in August 2024. During the proceedings at Preston Crown Court, the jury uncovered that 44-year-old Maxwell had repeatedly threatened both Mr. Scott and his friend Charlie Evans after a confrontation that occurred during her daughter's 21st birthday party.
Evidence presented to the jury included threatening messages where Maxwell expressed her intentions to "t***" Mr. Scott and vandalize his car. In a shocking turn of events, she enlisted the help of her son, Liam Donlin, a known violent offender who was previously incarcerated for a series of assaults in local pubs.
On June 21, 2025, Maxwell and her daughter Clegg spent the evening visiting various pubs in Blackburn. Although Donlin was also out that night, he was under a Criminal Behaviour Order, which prohibited him from entering pubs due to his past crimes, as reported by LancashireLive.
In the early hours, the trio reunited and took a taxi back to their shared home on Lynwood Avenue in Darwen. There, they armed themselves with kitchen knives before heading to Mr. Scott's flat on Peridot Close. Interestingly, Clegg, whose father was related to Mr. Scott, guided them to the location. En route, Donlin sent a menacing text to another individual, boasting about his intention to "chop up" Mr. Scott.
Upon their arrival, Clegg recorded their approach on her mobile phone and deceived the 5ft 3in Mr. Scott into stepping outside, only to confront him with her towering 6ft 1in brother. When Mr. Scott answered the door, Donlin stabbed him in the chest with a kitchen knife, taunting him with the words: "Go on, you little f****** rat." Tragically, as Mr. Scott bled out on the floor, the three assailants stayed at the scene yet made no effort to assist him.
During the trial, both Maxwell and Clegg claimed they had come to Mr. Scott's aid upon finding him seriously injured, but they did not take the stand to provide evidence. The jury at Preston Crown Court deliberated for under three hours before unanimously convicting all three of murder, concluding that they had gone to the residence with the intention to kill or inflict grave harm on Mr. Scott.
Now, the trio has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to face life sentences when they return to court on March 20. Following the verdict, Mr. Scott's family expressed their anguish, stating: "The past seven months have been the most difficult period our family has ever faced. It has been a parent's worst nightmare to lose our beloved Paul Scott in such an unfathomable act of brutality, attacked by a mother and her children—a sinister trio who filmed his final moments on his own doorstep."
They added, "Over the course of this three-week trial, we have been forced to relive this nightmarish experience in harrowing detail. Achieving justice for Pauly has been a long journey. We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved in securing today's convictions, particularly Prosecuting Counsel Mr. Richard Littler and Mr. Simon Driver. We are also immensely thankful to our family, friends, and the wider community for their overwhelming support for Paul, which truly means everything to us."
Det Supt John McNamara of Lancashire Police commented: "While Liam Donlin delivered the fatal blow to Paul, he was not acting alone in this crime. Joanne Maxwell incited him to commit murder following an earlier altercation nearly a year ago while Donlin was still imprisoned for prior offenses. Amie Clegg played a pivotal role by luring Paul to the door, fully aware of her mother’s and brother’s potential danger to him, and even filmed the horrific act on Donlin’s phone.
"Our thoughts are firmly with Paul's family during this challenging time. They have had to endure hearing about the events leading to Paul's death, alongside the evidence showing the trio's premeditated intent to kill him. Paul had known his attackers, being distantly related to both Donlin and Clegg, which undoubtedly adds to the heartache experienced by his loved ones as they navigate this painful trial."
