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Man jailed for brothel killings | Man jailed for brothel killings |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A gambler who admitted murdering two women at a brothel he wanted to rob to pay off his debts has been jailed for life. | A gambler who admitted murdering two women at a brothel he wanted to rob to pay off his debts has been jailed for life. |
Garry Harding, 22, of Welshpool, Powys, had denied killing Samantha Tapper, 23, of Wolverhampton and Annie Eels, 55, of Llantsantffraid, in Shrewsbury. | Garry Harding, 22, of Welshpool, Powys, had denied killing Samantha Tapper, 23, of Wolverhampton and Annie Eels, 55, of Llantsantffraid, in Shrewsbury. |
But he changed his plea to guilty at the start of his trial on Wednesday. | But he changed his plea to guilty at the start of his trial on Wednesday. |
Sentencing Harding at Birmingham Crown Court, Mr Justice King told him he would serve a minimum of 25 years. | |
He said: "This was a frenzied attack on two innocent women that was particularly brutal, violent and sustained. | |
"You callously took the lives of these two ladies." | |
The court was told he had debts of up to £16,000 and hoped to find £2,000 at Rachael's Health Studio, but left with about £330. | The court was told he had debts of up to £16,000 and hoped to find £2,000 at Rachael's Health Studio, but left with about £330. |
He had also used the internet to look for information on how to commit a murder. | He had also used the internet to look for information on how to commit a murder. |
Shock at brothel double murder | |
Ms Tapper and Mrs Eels were in the premises in Frankwell on 1 July 2006 when Harding arrived. | Ms Tapper and Mrs Eels were in the premises in Frankwell on 1 July 2006 when Harding arrived. |
Their bodies were found in the early hours of the next day by a group of men on a night out. | Their bodies were found in the early hours of the next day by a group of men on a night out. |
Outside court, Ms Tapper's mother Jackie Jones said her daughter did not deserve to die, adding: "She will continue to live on through our beautiful granddaughter." | |
Det Ch Insp Sheila Thornes, who led the investigation for West Mercia Police, said: "This was an unprovoked brutal murder of two women. | |
"Ann Eels was a loving wife, mother and grandmother, the driving force behind her close family. | |
"Sam Tapper was a young and devoted mother of a four-year-old girl, much loved by her family. | |
"Both women came from loving and caring families and neither did anything to provoke the attack upon them that day." |
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