The father of beautician Elle Edwards who was shot dead in a pub on Christmas Eve has described his heartbreak at the tragic loss of his ‘beautiful and caring’ daughter.
Tim Edwards said ‘Christmas will never be the same’ without his 26 year-old daughter who he said had ‘a heart of gold’.
He added he was ‘just glad I had the time with her that I did.’
In his first interview since her death, the devastated father warned against the dangers of gun crime, saying ‘do not pick up that gun, because the minute you do your life is over.’
Elle Edwards, 26, was shot dead outside the Lighthouse Pub in The Wirral on Christmas Eve
Her heartbroken father Tim Edwards said she had a ‘heart of gold’ in his first interview since her death
Ms Edwards was shot dead at the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey Village, Wirral just minutes before Christmas Day.
She is not believed to have been the intended target of the attack in which four men were also injured.
A 22 year-old man has been arrested and charged with murdering Ms Edwards with a submachine gun.
Connor Chapman appeared at Liverpool Crown Court via videolink on Monday charged with nine counts including murder.
Ahead of Ms Edwards’ funeral next week, her father remembered her as a ‘beautiful and caring’ person and said he would never be able to celebrate Christmas again following her death.
He told Sky News: ‘She’s the type of person that would walk into the room and everyone would gravitate towards her because she was always smiling.
‘She was beautiful looking and she was a great hugger. She was just a fantastic human being with a heart of gold.’
He added: ‘There’s no winners with gun crime… If you pick up a gun, your future is over and everybody else’s future around you is over. It’s dead simple. It’s absolutely pointless and it solves nothing.
Connor Chapman, 22, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court via videolink on Monday charged with nine counts including the murder of Ms Edwards
It is not believed that Ms Edwards was the intended target of the attack allegedly carried out by Chapman
‘I want to see a positive that comes out of this. Elle’s name will be used for good in the future. She can’t be forgotten.’
Ms Edwards’ funeral will be held on January 25 in her hometown, with hundreds expected to attend to pay their respects.
A trial date for Chapman has been set for June 7, with the case expected to last three to four weeks.
He is also charged with the attempted murder of of Jake Duffy and Kieran Salkeld and three counts of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm of Harry Loughran, Nicholas Speed and Liam Carr.
The suspect is also charged with possessing a Scorpion submachine gun and ammunition with intent to endanger life on Christmas Eve and handling stolen goods, a Mercedes A class vehicle, between December 22 and Boxing Day.
