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| Soldier guilty of stalking and murdering ex-girlfriend Alice Ruggles | Soldier guilty of stalking and murdering ex-girlfriend Alice Ruggles |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A soldier has been convicted of stalking his ex-girlfriend, breaking into her flat and cutting her neck open from ear to ear. | A soldier has been convicted of stalking his ex-girlfriend, breaking into her flat and cutting her neck open from ear to ear. |
| L/Cl Trimaan “Harry” Dhillon, 26, was convicted of murdering Alice Ruggles and leaving her to bleed to death on her bathroom floor in Gateshead last October. | L/Cl Trimaan “Harry” Dhillon, 26, was convicted of murdering Alice Ruggles and leaving her to bleed to death on her bathroom floor in Gateshead last October. |
| Newcastle crown court heard that she was terrified of him and had got an official police warning to stop him from contacting her, but the obsessive and manipulative Special Forces hopeful ignored it, and drove from his Edinburgh barracks to Tyneside to kill her in a jealous temper. | Newcastle crown court heard that she was terrified of him and had got an official police warning to stop him from contacting her, but the obsessive and manipulative Special Forces hopeful ignored it, and drove from his Edinburgh barracks to Tyneside to kill her in a jealous temper. |
| Ruggles’ family wept and hugged each other when the verdict was recorded. There was no visible reaction from her killer. | Ruggles’ family wept and hugged each other when the verdict was recorded. There was no visible reaction from her killer. |
| The pair developed an intense relationship over the internet while Dhillon was serving in Afghanistan and Ruggles, a 24-year-old graduate from Leicestershire, was working for Sky in Newcastle. | The pair developed an intense relationship over the internet while Dhillon was serving in Afghanistan and Ruggles, a 24-year-old graduate from Leicestershire, was working for Sky in Newcastle. |
| Dhillon soon set about alienating her from her friends, knocked her self-confidence and demanded her constant attention. His previous partner had a similar experience and her ordeal ended only after she took out a restraining order. | |
| Despite professing to love Ruggles, who was described by friends as full of life and fun, Dhillon, was also unfaithful. | Despite professing to love Ruggles, who was described by friends as full of life and fun, Dhillon, was also unfaithful. |
| When Ruggles ended the relationship in August last year, Dhillon, a signaller with the 2 Scots, became obsessive. He contacted her mother on social media, pleading with her to intervene, hacked into herFacebook account to monitor her movements and would send her pleading messages and selfies. | |
| When he discovered she might be starting a new relationship with an army officer she had met in Germany, Dhillon stalked her ground-floor flat at night, knocking on her bedroom window and terrifying her. | |
| She contacted the police, whose initial response she later described as “brilliant”, and obtained a PIN (harassment notice) warning, telling him to stay away. | |
| But Dhillon, who hoped to join the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, ignored it and sent her a parcel with a pleading note. | But Dhillon, who hoped to join the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, ignored it and sent her a parcel with a pleading note. |
| When Ruggles contacted the police again, she was asked if she wanted him to be arrested and she declined. She later told a friend she felt “palmed off”, and in frustration told her sister, Emma, the police would “respond when he stabs me”. | |
| Northumbria police said they had referred their actions to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, but said no one at the time knew the threat he posed. | Northumbria police said they had referred their actions to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, but said no one at the time knew the threat he posed. |
| On 12 October, Dhillon climbed into Ruggles’ flat through an open window and attacked her in the bathroom, slashing her throat at least six times. | On 12 October, Dhillon climbed into Ruggles’ flat through an open window and attacked her in the bathroom, slashing her throat at least six times. |
| She had 24 injuries, including defensive wounds, while Dhillon, who at 1.85 metres (6ft 1in) was almost a foot taller and three stone heavier, suffered none. Nevertheless, he claimed in court that she had attacked him and died after accidentally plunging the knife into her own neck. He fled without dialling 999 and took her phone with him. | |
| Her flatmate, Maxine McGill, called the emergency services when she came home. Her harrowing 999 call, in which she repeatedly shouted “Alice” to her fatally wounded friend, was played to the jury. She named Dhillon as the suspect and he was arrested at his barracks that night. | Her flatmate, Maxine McGill, called the emergency services when she came home. Her harrowing 999 call, in which she repeatedly shouted “Alice” to her fatally wounded friend, was played to the jury. She named Dhillon as the suspect and he was arrested at his barracks that night. |
| He initially denied being in the flat that evening, but changed his story after Ruggles’ blood was found on his Help for Heroes wristband and on the steering wheel of his BMW. | |
| Dhillon will be sentenced later on Wednesday after the court has heard victim impact statements and mitigation. | Dhillon will be sentenced later on Wednesday after the court has heard victim impact statements and mitigation. |