Loving tributes paid to murdered solicitor David Edwards

Tributes have been paid to well-loved solicitor David Edwards, whose new wife was today convicted of his murder.
AS A LAD: David as a boyAS A LAD: David as a boy
AS A LAD: David as a boy

Friends say David fell into a law career after his younger brother obtained a first from Oxford in law and went on to become a solicitor.

Inspired, David attended King’s College in London to obtain a law degree, and afterwards studied at law school at Chester.

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It was this path that would bring him to Lancashire as from there, he obtained employment at Chorley Council to complete his training.

David EdwardsDavid Edwards
David Edwards

Stanley Cross solicitors then approached him and offered him a job and he became a criminal defence solicitor.

It is a sad irony that the first notable job which made his name in local law circles was a murder case. The case, at Preston Crown Court, centred around a gangland type drugs killing.

His business partner Chris Hall, 60, paid tribute to his “larger than life” friend.

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He said: “I had known him since the late ’80s and there are lots of tales to tell. He was a colleague, partner and family friend to myself, my wife and daughter. He was a larger than life character who worked hard and played hard.”

AS A LAD: David as a boy with brother PeterAS A LAD: David as a boy with brother Peter
AS A LAD: David as a boy with brother Peter

David was well known and well liked in Chorley. He was also a keen pool player who played for the Chorley Electrical Pool League, and he quickly became a staunch Chorley FC fan and season ticket holder, supporting his team both home and away for a number of years.

Football and the courts aside, David was known by many as a merry drinker, and was often spotted glued to a karaoke microphone in various Chorley watering holes.

He caught the eye of Debbie Livesley and her friends while he was singing in the Gillibrand Arms.

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She smiles as she recalls: “We used to see him and feel sorry for him so we’d clap really loud.

David EdwardsDavid Edwards
David Edwards

“Somehow he would turn every song he sang into a punk song, He liked all kinds of music.”

Debbie became his partner and in 2009, she gave birth to their daughter.

She says: “She was born by C-section and I thought there was no way he’d come in for the birth but he walked in in a gown.

“It was the happiest day of his life, he idolised her.

AS A LAD: David as a boy with brother PeterAS A LAD: David as a boy with brother Peter
AS A LAD: David as a boy with brother Peter
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“He even took her to a N‑Dubz concert - he said afterwards he actually enjoyed it but he was the oldest there.

“David was really funny. We were on holiday once and I heard him shouting: ‘You’ve shrunk my jeans.’ I walked in and he was wearing mine!

“He loved his music, always went to concerts, and even became friendly with some musicians - the songwriter Clive Gregson always used to come and sit with him at gigs. People just warmed to him.”

The couple split up after eight years, but remained friends.

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