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| Man admits brothel hammer deaths | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A 22-year-old man has admitted killing two women with a hammer at a brothel in Shropshire. | A 22-year-old man has admitted killing two women with a hammer at a brothel in Shropshire. |
| Garry Harding, of Welshpool, Powys, had denied murdering prostitute Samantha Tapper, 23, and receptionist Annie Eels, 55, at the parlour in Shrewsbury. | Garry Harding, of Welshpool, Powys, had denied murdering prostitute Samantha Tapper, 23, and receptionist Annie Eels, 55, at the parlour in Shrewsbury. |
| But he changed his plea during the first day of his trial at Birmingham Crown Court. | But he changed his plea during the first day of his trial at Birmingham Crown Court. |
| Harding had previously used prostitutes at the massage parlour, called Rachael's Health Studio. | Harding had previously used prostitutes at the massage parlour, called Rachael's Health Studio. |
| Mrs Eels, of Llansantffraid, Powys, was a receptionist and Miss Tapper, of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, worked as a prostitute. Both were in the premises, in Frankwell, on 1 July 2006, when Harding arrived. | |
| He was armed with a hammer and bludgeoned them to death Stephen Linehan QC, prosecuting | He was armed with a hammer and bludgeoned them to death Stephen Linehan QC, prosecuting |
| Their bodies were found during the early hours of 2 July by a group of men on a night out. They had suffered severe head injuries with Mrs Eels receiving at least 16 blows to the head and face. | Their bodies were found during the early hours of 2 July by a group of men on a night out. They had suffered severe head injuries with Mrs Eels receiving at least 16 blows to the head and face. |
| Miss Tapper was said by the prosecution to have suffered 14 blows. | Miss Tapper was said by the prosecution to have suffered 14 blows. |
| The court heard Harding, who had gambling debts of up to £16,000, thought he would find at least £2,000 at the parlour but came away with around £330. | The court heard Harding, who had gambling debts of up to £16,000, thought he would find at least £2,000 at the parlour but came away with around £330. |
| World Cup | World Cup |
| Stephen Linehan QC, prosecuting, said Harding had previously used prostitutes at the parlour. He would have known there would have been just two women there at the time. | Stephen Linehan QC, prosecuting, said Harding had previously used prostitutes at the parlour. He would have known there would have been just two women there at the time. |
| "What the two women could not have known is that he (Harding) had not come for sex but to kill them. | "What the two women could not have known is that he (Harding) had not come for sex but to kill them. |
| "He was armed with a hammer and bludgeoned them to death," he said. | "He was armed with a hammer and bludgeoned them to death," he said. |
| After killing the women, Harding returned home and watched the England v Portugal World Cup match on television with his brother. | After killing the women, Harding returned home and watched the England v Portugal World Cup match on television with his brother. |
| Several weeks later police released CCTV images of a suspect. These showed Harding walking to and from the massage parlour on the day of the murder wearing gloves, despite bright, sunny weather. | Several weeks later police released CCTV images of a suspect. These showed Harding walking to and from the massage parlour on the day of the murder wearing gloves, despite bright, sunny weather. |
| Letter written | Letter written |
| Mr Linehan said Harding realised it was inevitable he would be identified. | Mr Linehan said Harding realised it was inevitable he would be identified. |
| "That night he wrote a letter in which he confessed to the killings and handed it to his brother, telling him not to read it until after he'd left." | "That night he wrote a letter in which he confessed to the killings and handed it to his brother, telling him not to read it until after he'd left." |
| The court head that in the letter Harding admitted stealing money from the massage parlour. | The court head that in the letter Harding admitted stealing money from the massage parlour. |
| It also said he used a hammer from his mother's garden shed to carry out the murders. | It also said he used a hammer from his mother's garden shed to carry out the murders. |
| Afterwards, he dipped it in paint to destroy evidence. He also took a CCTV monitor from the parlour when he fled, fearing he had been recorded. | Afterwards, he dipped it in paint to destroy evidence. He also took a CCTV monitor from the parlour when he fled, fearing he had been recorded. |
| Outside the court Det Ch Insp Sheila Thornes, who led the investigation, said she welcomed the guilty pleas. | Outside the court Det Ch Insp Sheila Thornes, who led the investigation, said she welcomed the guilty pleas. |
| "This means the relatives of Samantha Tapper and Annie Eels have been spared the ordeal and anguish of sitting through a lengthy trial." | "This means the relatives of Samantha Tapper and Annie Eels have been spared the ordeal and anguish of sitting through a lengthy trial." |
| Harding, who was unemployed, will be sentenced on Thursday. | Harding, who was unemployed, will be sentenced on Thursday. |