The sentencing of Lewis Haines, the man who has admitted murdering 18-year-old Lily Sullivan, has ground to a halt after the Crown Prosecution revealed they have new evidence relating to the offence.

Judge Paul Thomas QC told Swansea Crown Court that the Crown has introduced ‘a sexual element’ to the case which could have major implications on Haines’s custodial sentence.

“The lowest custodial sentence for murder is 15 years and the highest is 30 years, both of which can go up or down depending on many factors,” he said.

“But what concerns me is this. There is now a sexual element to this case would mean a sentence with a minimum of 30 years.”

Judge Thomas went on to say that the ‘sexual element’ had been raised by the Crown as a result of Miss Sullivan’s state of undress when her body was discovered in the Mill Pond, Pembroke on December 17, 2021.

As a result, defence barrister John Hipkin QC requested an adjournment.

“The matters concerning the state of undress which are being suggested by the Crown require more information before the case can proceed,” he said.

“We need material which we have not yet received from the Crown which would help us in terms of the advice that we tend to Mr Haines.”

His request was accepted by Judge Thomas.

“It’s very important that this matter is dealt with as soon as possible but it’s equally important that the sentence is right,” he said.

Western Telegraph: Lewis Haines.Lewis Haines.

Lilly Sullivan was murdered on December 17 after she met Haines in the Paddles nightclub, Pembroke, now known as ‘Out’.

CCTV footage showed them leaving the dance area separately however further exterior footage showed them leaving the premises together.

They were seen to enter an alleyway adjacent to the nightclub which leads to the Mill Pond area.

Additional CCTV footage shows Haines running over a bridge near to Pembroke Castle.

At an earlier inquest hearing, Coroner’s Officer Lisa Jenkins said that police were called to the ponds at 4.12am following reports that a female body had been seen in the water.

Despite resuscitation attempts, Miss Sullivan was pronounced dead at 6.02am.

Haines was due to stand trial for her murder on June 20 but at a Crown Court hearing on June 13 he changed his plea to guilty.

Members of Lily’s family were present in Swansea Crown Court on Thurday afternoon to await sentence and Judge Thomas apologised to them for today’s adjournment.

“I’m terribly sorry we can’t deal with this today,” he said.

“It must be terribly frustrating for all of you, having psyched yourselves up, simply to find that we can’t go to a sentence today. I am sorry.

“But the most important thing is to make the sentence right.”

Following a short adjournment during which barristers discussed suitable dates, the matter was adjourned until July 28 with the substantive hearing taking place on July 22.