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Man guilty of suitcase body death | Man guilty of suitcase body death |
(10 minutes later) | |
A homeless man has been found guilty of the murder of a teenage girl whose body was found in a suitcase. | A homeless man has been found guilty of the murder of a teenage girl whose body was found in a suitcase. |
The jury in a retrial at Maidstone Crown Court convicted Philip Bell, 23, of strangling 17-year-old Terry Edmonds, in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. | The jury in a retrial at Maidstone Crown Court convicted Philip Bell, 23, of strangling 17-year-old Terry Edmonds, in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. |
Her body was discovered in a suitcase underneath a car park ramp on 29 April 2006, 12 days after she disappeared. | Her body was discovered in a suitcase underneath a car park ramp on 29 April 2006, 12 days after she disappeared. |
The court heard Bell, who denied murder, sexually assaulted and killed Terry Edmonds during a "lost hour". | The court heard Bell, who denied murder, sexually assaulted and killed Terry Edmonds during a "lost hour". |
Jurors were told that Bell fatally attacked the teenager after "luring" her to the stairwell of Morrisons car park where he slept rough. | Jurors were told that Bell fatally attacked the teenager after "luring" her to the stairwell of Morrisons car park where he slept rough. |
'Lost hour' | 'Lost hour' |
Earlier the court heard that Bell carried out the murder on Easter Monday between 1830 and 1930 GMT, which the prosecution referred to as the "lost hour". | Earlier the court heard that Bell carried out the murder on Easter Monday between 1830 and 1930 GMT, which the prosecution referred to as the "lost hour". |
Prosecutor Anthony Haycroft said Bell loved exercising power over women and this time it went too far and he smothered Ms Edmonds. | Prosecutor Anthony Haycroft said Bell loved exercising power over women and this time it went too far and he smothered Ms Edmonds. |
Bell, of no fixed abode, initially told police he was not in the car park during that hour, and later claimed he was smoking cannabis on a stairwell landing.Bell murdered Terry Edmonds during a 'lost hour' | Bell, of no fixed abode, initially told police he was not in the car park during that hour, and later claimed he was smoking cannabis on a stairwell landing.Bell murdered Terry Edmonds during a 'lost hour' |
Jurors viewed CCTV footage which showed Mr Bell walking along a path towards a car park by Tunbridge Wells railway station two seconds after Ms Edmonds emerged from the station. | Jurors viewed CCTV footage which showed Mr Bell walking along a path towards a car park by Tunbridge Wells railway station two seconds after Ms Edmonds emerged from the station. |
The prosecution said the fact that Ms Edmonds' body was moved from the stairwell where Mr Bell lived pointed to him. | The prosecution said the fact that Ms Edmonds' body was moved from the stairwell where Mr Bell lived pointed to him. |
Jurors at two previous trials had been unable to reach a verdict but Bell was convicted at Maidstone Crown Court after a few hours' deliberation on Friday. | Jurors at two previous trials had been unable to reach a verdict but Bell was convicted at Maidstone Crown Court after a few hours' deliberation on Friday. |
Following the verdict, Det Ch Insp Dave Withers, said: "Terry was a young, vibrant, popular woman with a life to look forward to. That life was tragically taken from her prematurely. | Following the verdict, Det Ch Insp Dave Withers, said: "Terry was a young, vibrant, popular woman with a life to look forward to. That life was tragically taken from her prematurely. |
"This was a complex inquiry, and one that built up as we gathered evidence and looked at the events surrounding Terry's disappearance. | "This was a complex inquiry, and one that built up as we gathered evidence and looked at the events surrounding Terry's disappearance. |
"From finding Terry's body hidden in a suitcase, we carried out a thorough and detailed investigation, which led to Philip Bell. | "From finding Terry's body hidden in a suitcase, we carried out a thorough and detailed investigation, which led to Philip Bell. |
"Bell murdered Terry, hid her body and tried to cover up his horrific crime. | "Bell murdered Terry, hid her body and tried to cover up his horrific crime. |
"We were able through a meticulous investigation, painstaking research by the FSS [Forensic Science Service] and careful and thorough preparation by the Crown Prosecution Service to prove that Bell was guilty." | "We were able through a meticulous investigation, painstaking research by the FSS [Forensic Science Service] and careful and thorough preparation by the Crown Prosecution Service to prove that Bell was guilty." |
Bell was remanded in custody to be sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on 18 February. | Bell was remanded in custody to be sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on 18 February. |
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It took the jury just three hours to convict Philip Bell of killing 17-year-old Terry Edmonds. | It took the jury just three hours to convict Philip Bell of killing 17-year-old Terry Edmonds. |