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"Desperate" Andrew Flood jailed for Southport murders | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A Southport taxi driver with a gambling addiction has been jailed for at least 30 years after admitting murdering two of his elderly passengers. | |
Andrew Flood, of Clifton Road, admitted killing Margaret Biddolph, 78, and Anne Leyland, 88, at Liverpool Crown Court. | Andrew Flood, of Clifton Road, admitted killing Margaret Biddolph, 78, and Anne Leyland, 88, at Liverpool Crown Court. |
He strangled both victims in their own homes, one with a phone charger cable, the other with her dressing gown cord. | |
The court heard Flood, 43, was a "desperate" man with debts of around £18,000. | |
Same bookmakers | |
Nick Johnson QC, prosecuting, said following the murder of Mrs Leyland on 20 February, Flood was seen on CCTV "smiling" as he left a betting shop in Southport shortly after 15:00 GMT. | |
The court was told Flood then murdered Mrs Biddolph before returning to the same bookmakers shortly before 16:00 GMT. | |
Mr Johnson said: "We know he murdered Mrs Biddolph and 53 minutes would certainly have been long enough to have done it." | |
Mrs Biddolph was found dead at her home in Lonsdale Road on 21 February, with Mrs Leyland discovered dead the following day on nearby Birch Street. | |
Mr Johnson said: "Mrs Leyland had been strangled with the cord from the dressing gown she was wearing when she answered the door to Flood." | |
Post-mortem examinations suggest Flood may well have been "sitting astride" the pensioner and strangled her "face to face". | |
The court heard Flood could not pay the rent on his family home. | |
Flood also pleaded guilty to robbery of another passenger in a separate incident. | Flood also pleaded guilty to robbery of another passenger in a separate incident. |