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Life sentence for jogger's killer | Life sentence for jogger's killer |
(10 minutes later) | |
A loner who murdered a Harrods shop worker before burying her body in a shallow grave has been jailed for life. | |
The body of Egeli Rasta, 27, originally from Estonia, was found in Mitcham Common, south London, in July 2006. | |
Garath Davies, 23, was found guilty of her murder in November and will serve a minimum 23 years. The judge said there had been a sexual motive. | |
He had claimed he could not remember the day she died because he had been chain smoking cannabis. | |
Ms Rasta's body was found naked and Judge Richard Hawkins, sitting at the Old Bailey, said he believed the attack had "involved sexual conduct". | |
'Very stoned' | 'Very stoned' |
As Davies was led from the court, Ms Rasta's boyfriend, who was in the public gallery, shouted: "Rot in hell." | As Davies was led from the court, Ms Rasta's boyfriend, who was in the public gallery, shouted: "Rot in hell." |
Davies, 23, of Mitcham, south London, and originally from Llanelli, South Wales, told a trial he was "very stoned" on the day that Ms Rasta died. | |
He had had denied murder and perverting the course of justice. | He had had denied murder and perverting the course of justice. |
The court heard that Ms Rasta, who was "fit, athletic, and quite strong", lived near Mitcham Common and would often jog and sunbathe there. | The court heard that Ms Rasta, who was "fit, athletic, and quite strong", lived near Mitcham Common and would often jog and sunbathe there. |
I'm afraid I might have done it. I can't remember Garath Davies | |
She disappeared on 4 July, a day after working a shift at the LK Bennett concession at Harrods. Her body lay undiscovered for 12 days. | She disappeared on 4 July, a day after working a shift at the LK Bennett concession at Harrods. Her body lay undiscovered for 12 days. |
Detectives found a kitchen knife covered in blood at the home Davies shared with his mother. | |
The name "Gaz" was carved into the branch of a tree near where the naked body of Miss Rasta was found after police were alerted by a dog walker. | |
Davies later told police: "I'm afraid I might have done it. I can't remember." | |
Mark Ellison, prosecuting, said Davies was "something of a loner" who spent much of his time on the common alone or with his black Staffordshire bull terrier Tyson. |