Mother and her two adult children found guilty of murdering distant relative in Blackburn

A mother and her two adult children have been found guilty of murdering a man in Blackburn last June.

On 22^nd June police received a report from the ambulance service that Paul Scott was unresponsive at his address on Peridot Close. Despite the best efforts of the emergency services, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The person who made that initial call was 22-year-old Amie Clegg, a distant relative of Paul’s who had just filmed her brother 25-year-old Liam Donlin murdering Paul with the intention of uploading it to Snapchat.

She lied about her, and her brother’s names and told the ambulance service she didn’t know the address she was at and that she didn’t know how Paul suffered his injuries. Then, as the call handler talked them through CPR, she told them that Paul was already dead and that she didn’t know what the call handler wanted her to do for him.

The siblings, along with their mother 44-year-old Joanne Maxwell planned to attack Paul, and another man, as revenge, after Maxwell was involved in an altercation in September 2024. Paul had been present at the time of the altercation, but his only involvement was attempting to split it up.

Arming themselves with knives, they arrived at Paul’s home shortly after 3am where Clegg lured him to the front door. She then stepped back and began filming as Paul answered the door and was stabbed by Donlin.

Prior to the murder, Clegg and Maxwell had sent messages to associates threatening Paul and those involved in the altercation and on the journey to Paul’s house, Donlin, who was only released from prison shortly before the murder sent voice messages telling associates that he was going to attack someone with a knife.

The three were arrested and later charged with Paul’s murder. Donlin initially pleaded guilty to manslaughter and possession of a bladed article and not guilty to murder, and Maxwell and Clegg both pleaded not guilty.

Following a 13-day trial at Preston Crown Court, a jury found all three guilty of murder. Maxwell and Clegg were also found guilty of possession of a bladed article.

Maxwell, Donlin and Clegg, all formerly of Lynwood Avenue, Darwen, will appear back in the dock at the same court on 20th March to be sentenced.

Paul's family have issued the following statement:

"The past seven months has been the most challenging time our family has ever had to endure. A family’s worst nightmare.

"Our beloved Paul Scott was taken from us in an unimaginable act of cruelty. Set upon by a mother, her daughter and her son. A trio of evil attacked, killed and filmed Paul’s last moments in the dead of night on his own doorstep.

"Over this three-week trial we have been forced to relive this twisted nightmare in horrific detail.

"It’s been a long road towards justice for Pauly.

"We, as a family would like to thank everybody involved in securing today’s convictions.

"We would like to say a special thank you to the Prosecuting Counsel – Mr Richard Littler and Mr Simon Driver.

"A notable thanks also goes to Detective Supt. John McNamara, DI Tristan Hardwick and DS Craig Charnock and to the wider team at Lancashire Constabulary, and to our incredibly supportive Family Liaison Officers Louise Rigby and Alana Butterworth.

"We would also like to thank our family and friends and importantly the wider public for all the love and support for Paul. It sincerely means a lot to all of us."

Det Supt John McNamara of Lancashire Police said: “Liam Donlin may have been the person to fatally stab Paul, but he was not his only murderer.

"Joanne Maxwell incited Donlin to kill after she was involved in an altercation almost a year prior whilst Donlin was still in prison for previous offences. Amie Clegg lured Paul to the front door, knowing that he was afraid of what her brother and mum may do to him then filmed his murder on Donlin’s phone.

“My, and the team’s thoughts remain with Paul’s family today. They have had to endure a trial listening to what happened in Paul’s final moments, and hearing and seeing evidence of the three planning to kill him. Paul knew his attackers – he was distantly related to Donlin and Clegg, and I acknowledge that this makes going through a trial all the more devastating for his loved ones.

“I welcome the guilty verdict today and thank the jury for their careful consideration.”