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| Matalan murders: Andrew Saunders 'researched killing' | Matalan murders: Andrew Saunders 'researched killing' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A man who murdered his ex-girlfriend and new partner outside the central Cardiff Matalan shop where they worked searched the internet for methods of killing in the days before the attack, Cardiff Crown Court has heard. | A man who murdered his ex-girlfriend and new partner outside the central Cardiff Matalan shop where they worked searched the internet for methods of killing in the days before the attack, Cardiff Crown Court has heard. |
| Zoe Morgan, 21, and Lee Simmons, 33, were discovered near the Queen Street store in September. | Zoe Morgan, 21, and Lee Simmons, 33, were discovered near the Queen Street store in September. |
| Andrew Saunders, 20, of no fixed abode, admitted their murders in December. | Andrew Saunders, 20, of no fixed abode, admitted their murders in December. |
| The court heard he stabbed Mr Simmons first then Miss Morgan. | The court heard he stabbed Mr Simmons first then Miss Morgan. |
| Saunders and Miss Morgan had split up a year before she and Mr Simmons began a relationship in July 2016. | Saunders and Miss Morgan had split up a year before she and Mr Simmons began a relationship in July 2016. |
| 'I just lost control' | 'I just lost control' |
| The couple were found at about 05:50 BST on 28 September, prompting the closure of the street. | The couple were found at about 05:50 BST on 28 September, prompting the closure of the street. |
| The court heard witnesses saw Saunders attack Mr Simmons first, stabbing him "four or five" times. | The court heard witnesses saw Saunders attack Mr Simmons first, stabbing him "four or five" times. |
| He tried to get up but was punched to floor by Saunders and did not move afterwards. | He tried to get up but was punched to floor by Saunders and did not move afterwards. |
| Miss Morgan tried to help her boyfriend but was pushed away by Saunders who then chased her down the street. | Miss Morgan tried to help her boyfriend but was pushed away by Saunders who then chased her down the street. |
| He eventually caught up with her outside the Boots store where he attacked her with the knife. | He eventually caught up with her outside the Boots store where he attacked her with the knife. |
| After the attack, Saunders phoned his mother and told her he had killed the pair. He also sent a text to his father saying "thanks, for being a pathetic, useless father. Just killed two people, cheers". | After the attack, Saunders phoned his mother and told her he had killed the pair. He also sent a text to his father saying "thanks, for being a pathetic, useless father. Just killed two people, cheers". |
| The court heard Saunders returned to his family home and updated his Facebook profile with swear words, and later with the sentence "just a product of society". | The court heard Saunders returned to his family home and updated his Facebook profile with swear words, and later with the sentence "just a product of society". |
| Police traced him to the home where he answered the door with a rifle. He was arrested and told officers: "I'm sorry, you know sometimes, you just snap." | Police traced him to the home where he answered the door with a rifle. He was arrested and told officers: "I'm sorry, you know sometimes, you just snap." |
| He added: "I'm really sorry for what I've done. I just lost control." | He added: "I'm really sorry for what I've done. I just lost control." |
| He pointed officers to one of the knives used in the attack which he had wrapped in tissue and left in the kitchen. The other had broken in the attack, he said, and he discarded it in Cardiff. | He pointed officers to one of the knives used in the attack which he had wrapped in tissue and left in the kitchen. The other had broken in the attack, he said, and he discarded it in Cardiff. |
| Threats to kill | Threats to kill |
| Philip Bennetts, prosecuting, told the court Saunders was not happy that he and Miss Morgan had split up and made threats against her and Mr Simmons when he found out they were in a relationship. | Philip Bennetts, prosecuting, told the court Saunders was not happy that he and Miss Morgan had split up and made threats against her and Mr Simmons when he found out they were in a relationship. |
| He contacted her via Facebook, telling her he knew she was "chatting" to someone else and told her: "I will kill whoever it is." | He contacted her via Facebook, telling her he knew she was "chatting" to someone else and told her: "I will kill whoever it is." |
| In the days after making the threats he searched YouTube for videos including "Top 5 people who took revenge to a whole new level" and "10 people who got revenge with cheaters". | In the days after making the threats he searched YouTube for videos including "Top 5 people who took revenge to a whole new level" and "10 people who got revenge with cheaters". |
| He also searched for information on how to make a pipe bomb, how to rig a car so it explodes when started, how to illegally buy a gun, and how to inflict knife injuries. | He also searched for information on how to make a pipe bomb, how to rig a car so it explodes when started, how to illegally buy a gun, and how to inflict knife injuries. |
| The court heard he later bought two knives, some latex gloves, an air rifle and 500 pellets. | The court heard he later bought two knives, some latex gloves, an air rifle and 500 pellets. |
| Winston Roddick QC, defending, told the court a doctor who examined Saunders after the attack found he may have been suffering from a "minor" mental illness called an adjustment disorder at the time of the attack. | |
| Mr Roddick said Saunders was in "emotional turmoil" which "must have" had an impact on his behaviour. | |
| In the years before the attack, Saunders was a good student with "excellent grades", Mr Roddick said, who had won a scholarship to play American football at the University of Canada. | |
| But he had been deeply affected by the death of his grandfather and then had struggled to cope with his emotions following his breakup with Miss Morgan, which he said had left him "heartbroken". | |
| The hearing has been adjourned until Tuesday. |