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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Modern 'Ripper' jailed for life | Modern 'Ripper' jailed for life |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A serial sex attacker convicted of killing two mothers whose bodies have never been found, has been jailed for life at the Old Bailey. | A serial sex attacker convicted of killing two mothers whose bodies have never been found, has been jailed for life at the Old Bailey. |
| Derek Brown, 47, denied murdering Xiao Mei Guo, 29, and Bonnie Barrett, 24, after taking them back to his flat in Rotherhithe, east London. | Derek Brown, 47, denied murdering Xiao Mei Guo, 29, and Bonnie Barrett, 24, after taking them back to his flat in Rotherhithe, east London. |
| He picked up his victims in the Whitechapel area, famously stalked by Jack the Ripper in the 1880s. | He picked up his victims in the Whitechapel area, famously stalked by Jack the Ripper in the 1880s. |
| Brown, who showed "no remorse", was ordered to serve a minimum of 30 years. | Brown, who showed "no remorse", was ordered to serve a minimum of 30 years. |
| Police believe Brown may have tried to emulate Jack the Ripper. | Police believe Brown may have tried to emulate Jack the Ripper. |
| You disposed of their bodies with frightening efficiency so that not a trace of either woman has been found Judge Martin Stephens | You disposed of their bodies with frightening efficiency so that not a trace of either woman has been found Judge Martin Stephens |
| Sentencing Brown Judge Martin Stephens said: "You have shown not a sliver of remorse. | Sentencing Brown Judge Martin Stephens said: "You have shown not a sliver of remorse. |
| "You murdered two women. Both were vulnerable, plying their trade on the streets, in each case falling into your hands precisely because of their availability and their lack of protection. | "You murdered two women. Both were vulnerable, plying their trade on the streets, in each case falling into your hands precisely because of their availability and their lack of protection. |
| "What you did to each of those women before you killed them we can only speculate about. How you killed them we cannot know. | "What you did to each of those women before you killed them we can only speculate about. How you killed them we cannot know. |
| "What we do know is you disposed of their bodies with frightening efficiency so that not a trace of either woman has been found." | "What we do know is you disposed of their bodies with frightening efficiency so that not a trace of either woman has been found." |
| 'Devious and cowardly' | 'Devious and cowardly' |
| The judge added there was clear "circumstantial evidence" which proves Brown dismembered and disposed of the bodies. | The judge added there was clear "circumstantial evidence" which proves Brown dismembered and disposed of the bodies. |
| "The only person who could prove this not to be true would be you, if you ever chose to tell the police where their bodies or remains could be found. | "The only person who could prove this not to be true would be you, if you ever chose to tell the police where their bodies or remains could be found. |
| "The anguish of both victims' families is exacerbated, made much worse by their inability to lay each lady to rest." | "The anguish of both victims' families is exacerbated, made much worse by their inability to lay each lady to rest." |
| Brown said he paid Bonnie Barrett and Xiao Mei Guo for sex | Brown said he paid Bonnie Barrett and Xiao Mei Guo for sex |
| The judge said he had considered handing Brown for a whole life term as there was "degree of pre-meditation" in the murders, but the requirements for this were not available in the case. | The judge said he had considered handing Brown for a whole life term as there was "degree of pre-meditation" in the murders, but the requirements for this were not available in the case. |
| Brown stopped giving evidence in the trial in the middle of his cross-examination by the prosecution, which the judge said was a "devious and cowardly course". | Brown stopped giving evidence in the trial in the middle of his cross-examination by the prosecution, which the judge said was a "devious and cowardly course". |
| Officers think Brown could have been embarking on a killing spree. The court heard he sought notoriety and had expressed a desire to be "famous", according to a friend. | Officers think Brown could have been embarking on a killing spree. The court heard he sought notoriety and had expressed a desire to be "famous", according to a friend. |
| Following his conviction on Friday officers launched a nationwide review of unsolved cases to see whether Brown had links to any of them. | Following his conviction on Friday officers launched a nationwide review of unsolved cases to see whether Brown had links to any of them. |
| During the trial the court heard Brown was a convicted rapist and a serial sex attacker who was a suspect in another murder case outside London. | During the trial the court heard Brown was a convicted rapist and a serial sex attacker who was a suspect in another murder case outside London. |
| He was also identified by victims in five other rapes over the past two decades. | He was also identified by victims in five other rapes over the past two decades. |
| 'Soft targets' | 'Soft targets' |
| Brown admitted paying Mrs Guo, a DVD seller and illegal Chinese immigrant, and Miss Barrett, who was a prostitute and crack cocaine addict, for sex before their disappearance last year. | Brown admitted paying Mrs Guo, a DVD seller and illegal Chinese immigrant, and Miss Barrett, who was a prostitute and crack cocaine addict, for sex before their disappearance last year. |
| Mrs Guo was last seen in August 2007 selling DVDs in Whitechapel market. CCTV pictures showed her with Mr Brown by Whitechapel Tube station. | Mrs Guo was last seen in August 2007 selling DVDs in Whitechapel market. CCTV pictures showed her with Mr Brown by Whitechapel Tube station. |
| Miss Barrett disappeared from the same area on 18 September 2007. | Miss Barrett disappeared from the same area on 18 September 2007. |
| Their bodies have not been found despite 800 hours of police searches and a trawl of the Thames by divers. | |
| I have no courage to tell (my sons) that their mother was murdered and dismembered and will never be found Jin Hua Guo | |
| The prosecution said he targeted the women as they were "soft targets" and would not be missed. | The prosecution said he targeted the women as they were "soft targets" and would not be missed. |
| In impact statements the families of both victims appealed to Brown to reveal the location of the bodies. | In impact statements the families of both victims appealed to Brown to reveal the location of the bodies. |
| Mrs Guo's husband Jin Hua Guo said he has not been able to break the news of her death to their two sons who live in southern China. | |
| "I have no courage to tell them that their mother was murdered and dismembered and will never be found. | |
| "We want her body so my children and I can say goodbye. This man has deprived me of that to conceal his own guilt." | |
| Miss Barrett's mother Jackie Summerford, who is looking after her grandson, said: "I am asking you, Derek Brown, to tell me where my daughter is so we can lay her to rest. | |
| "She was no angel but she'd just started to get help before she got killed." |