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| Keeley Bunker: Man guilty of murdering childhood friend | Keeley Bunker: Man guilty of murdering childhood friend |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A man has been convicted of raping and murdering his childhood friend on the way home from celebrating her birthday. | A man has been convicted of raping and murdering his childhood friend on the way home from celebrating her birthday. |
| Wesley Streete, 20, had claimed he had "accidentally killed" Keeley Bunker during sex. | Wesley Streete, 20, had claimed he had "accidentally killed" Keeley Bunker during sex. |
| Her body was found hidden under branches in a brook in Tamworth, Staffordshire, on 19 September 2019. | Her body was found hidden under branches in a brook in Tamworth, Staffordshire, on 19 September 2019. |
| Streete was also convicted of two further charges of rape and three counts of sexual assault relating to three other female victims. | Streete was also convicted of two further charges of rape and three counts of sexual assault relating to three other female victims. |
| In a statement following the verdict, Ms Bunker's friends and family described her as the "the kindest, most beautiful young lady that you could ever wish to meet". | In a statement following the verdict, Ms Bunker's friends and family described her as the "the kindest, most beautiful young lady that you could ever wish to meet". |
| "The world was hers and Keeley was just beginning to live a happy life," they said. | "The world was hers and Keeley was just beginning to live a happy life," they said. |
| It took a jury at Stafford Crown Court just over eight hours to convict the former warehouse packer, who will be sentenced on Friday. | It took a jury at Stafford Crown Court just over eight hours to convict the former warehouse packer, who will be sentenced on Friday. |
| The previous evening Ms Bunker had been to a concert with a friend in Birmingham to celebrate her recent 20th birthday. | The previous evening Ms Bunker had been to a concert with a friend in Birmingham to celebrate her recent 20th birthday. |
| After the show, the group met up with Streete in a city nightclub as arranged, and on their return to Tamworth she had "trusted" the killer to walk her home safely, but Ms Bunker was not seen alive again. | After the show, the group met up with Streete in a city nightclub as arranged, and on their return to Tamworth she had "trusted" the killer to walk her home safely, but Ms Bunker was not seen alive again. |
| By the following evening, searches were under way involving her family, close friends and police and Streete claimed to have left Ms Bunker to walk home alone. | By the following evening, searches were under way involving her family, close friends and police and Streete claimed to have left Ms Bunker to walk home alone. |
| He was taken by police in a marked patrol car to retrace their movements, consistently claiming that when he and Ms Bunker parted she was still alive. | He was taken by police in a marked patrol car to retrace their movements, consistently claiming that when he and Ms Bunker parted she was still alive. |
| At that time he told officers "I feel like you're blaming me" after they took his phone as part of the investigation. | At that time he told officers "I feel like you're blaming me" after they took his phone as part of the investigation. |
| The court heard her body was discovered that evening by her uncle Jason Brown, who was in a search party combing a park near a telephone box where Streete told police Ms Bunker and he parted ways. | The court heard her body was discovered that evening by her uncle Jason Brown, who was in a search party combing a park near a telephone box where Streete told police Ms Bunker and he parted ways. |
| Mr Brown found his niece with her underwear pulled down over her trainers. The court heard how he let out a "horrendous scream" at the sight. | Mr Brown found his niece with her underwear pulled down over her trainers. The court heard how he let out a "horrendous scream" at the sight. |
| A post-mortem examination found she had been strangled and Streete's DNA was on her body. | A post-mortem examination found she had been strangled and Streete's DNA was on her body. |
| Streete was arrested shortly after and, asked if he had any questions as he was being driven to the custody block at Cannock, he replied: "Not really." | Streete was arrested shortly after and, asked if he had any questions as he was being driven to the custody block at Cannock, he replied: "Not really." |
| Jurors were told how later in the journey Streete complained of being hungry, and "asked if there was food to eat when he got there". | Jurors were told how later in the journey Streete complained of being hungry, and "asked if there was food to eat when he got there". |
| The court heard he changed his account of the events at least four times, which he told prosecutors was because he was "scared" and "embarrassed" by her death - a killing, he said, that happened during sex that began with mutual flirting in the park. | The court heard he changed his account of the events at least four times, which he told prosecutors was because he was "scared" and "embarrassed" by her death - a killing, he said, that happened during sex that began with mutual flirting in the park. |
| "I put my arms around her neck and accidentally killed her," Streete told the prosecution. "We were having sex." | "I put my arms around her neck and accidentally killed her," Streete told the prosecution. "We were having sex." |
| He added he "started to panic" when Ms Bunker "went floppy". He said he checked for a pulse, but did not think to call police. | He added he "started to panic" when Ms Bunker "went floppy". He said he checked for a pulse, but did not think to call police. |
| However, Ms Bunker had scratch marks on her neck, most likely inflicted as she tried to prise herself from Streete's grip. | However, Ms Bunker had scratch marks on her neck, most likely inflicted as she tried to prise herself from Streete's grip. |
| Added branches | Added branches |
| He also admitted in court putting the body "in the pond" and covering it up, before going home to sleep. | He also admitted in court putting the body "in the pond" and covering it up, before going home to sleep. |
| The court heard he would later return to the scene several times to add more branches. | The court heard he would later return to the scene several times to add more branches. |
| Prosecutor Jacob Hallam QC said the separate allegations of sexual offences were brought independently by a number of young women who were, like Ms Bunker, friends or acquaintances of the defendant. | Prosecutor Jacob Hallam QC said the separate allegations of sexual offences were brought independently by a number of young women who were, like Ms Bunker, friends or acquaintances of the defendant. |
| "Taken together they show that the defendant has a long history of committing non-consensual sexual acts on young women," he said. | "Taken together they show that the defendant has a long history of committing non-consensual sexual acts on young women," he said. |
| In a victim impact statement, one of the women said hearing about what happened to Ms Bunker had given her the "courage" to come forward about her own assault. | In a victim impact statement, one of the women said hearing about what happened to Ms Bunker had given her the "courage" to come forward about her own assault. |
| Det Insp Cheryl Hannan, senior investigating officer on the case, said Streete was a "devious and manipulating character". | Det Insp Cheryl Hannan, senior investigating officer on the case, said Streete was a "devious and manipulating character". |
| "He was obviously trusted by Keeley, he was trusted to walk her home that night," she said. | "He was obviously trusted by Keeley, he was trusted to walk her home that night," she said. |
| "He has manipulated a situation where he has preyed upon her and ultimately raped and murdered her. | "He has manipulated a situation where he has preyed upon her and ultimately raped and murdered her. |
| "He has then gone on to put himself at the centre of the investigation, to lie to the police, to her family, to her friends that she was safe and well. | "He has then gone on to put himself at the centre of the investigation, to lie to the police, to her family, to her friends that she was safe and well. |
| "Then he has changed his lies as the evidence has been put to him." | "Then he has changed his lies as the evidence has been put to him." |
| Ms Hannan also praised the people of Tamworth for the "love" they had shown to Ms Bunker, with pink ribbons tied in tribute to her around the town. | Ms Hannan also praised the people of Tamworth for the "love" they had shown to Ms Bunker, with pink ribbons tied in tribute to her around the town. |
| In their statement the budding classroom assistant's relatives said: "As Keeley's family, the outcome of this trial will never be enough, in terms of justice." | |
| Her mother, Debbie Watkins, said: "Keeley was the kindest, most caring, innocent young lady you could ever meet and was only just starting out in her life." | |
| "Such is the hell we feel we are incapable of showing any forgiveness." | |
| Marc Ensor, partner of Debbie Watkins, said the family had been "destroyed" by her death and thoughts of "trying to visualise and understand just how such a dreadful thing could have happened to such a beautiful person". | |
| Mr Ensor said Ms Bunker would "do anything for anybody" and "she didn't have a bad bone in her body". | |
| Christopher Bunker, Ms Bunker's father, said her sister and brother were now "a shadow of how they used to be". | |
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