9th June 2004

Murder suspect is remanded in custody

On 9 June 2004, Nicholas Goss was remanded in custody, having been charged with the murder of 40-year-old Michelle Gibson. The two had been living together at the time she sustained the head injuries that led to her death. She had been found dead at her St Helier flat on Saturday 22 May 2004.

Goss, originally from Plymouth, Devon, had immediately left Jersey and travelled to France, putting himself beyond the jurisdiction of any Channel Islands police force. However, detective inspector Steve Langford, who was assigned to the case, later told the Jersey Evening Post, that he had nonetheless texted Goss, explaining who he was and noting “I’m sure you know why we need to speak to you. Please get in touch.” Several hours later, Goss had texted back and, after the men had met in France, he had voluntarily returned to Jersey.

Goss reserved his plea but, before appearing at the Royal Court, was additionally charged with causing malicious damage to the John Wesley Apartments one month before Gibson’s death.

Denial

Goss “denied murdering Mrs Gibson when he appeared in court [in] December”, reported the Jersey Evening Post but, on 22 June 2005, he was reported to have changed his plea. “A man has admitted battering a single mother to death at her flat in Jersey last year,” the BBC wrote. “He had denied murder, but has now changed his plea to guilty.”

He was further remanded until sentencing at the end of September, when he received a life term with a minimum of 11 years before he could be considered for parole. The BBC reported that the attack had caused Gibson “multiple and extensive facial fractures after Goss repeatedly hit her head on the kitchen floor… after a heated argument.” It was believed that she may have been alive at the end of the assault and lived for an hour with no opportunity to summon help.