This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/wear/8555221.stm

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Facebook predator admits murder Life term for Facebook murderer
(38 minutes later)
A convicted sex offender has admitted the kidnap, rape and murder of a County Durham teenager who he met on a social networking site. A convicted sex offender has been sentenced to life imprisonment after admitting the kidnap, rape and murder of a teenage girl.
Peter Chapman, who has a history of violent sex assaults, befriended 17-year-old Ashleigh Hall by posing as a teenage boy on Facebook. Chapman, 33, was told by Judge Peter Fox QC he must serve a minimum of 35 years in prison.
In October, after agreeing to meet him, Ashleigh was suffocated and dumped in a farmer's field near Sedgefield. Teesside Crown Court heard he met and befriended 17-year-old Ashleigh Hall on Facebook by posing as a teenage boy.
Chapman, 33, pleaded guilty to the charges at Teesside Crown Court. Chapman, 33, who had a history of sex assaults, at first denied the charges, but changed his plea to guilty.
He also admitted failing to notify police of a change of address, as required by the sex offenders register. Ashleigh was suffocated and dumped in a farmer's field near Sedgefield after agreeing to meet him.
Chapman, who was brought up by his grandparents in Stockton, has a history of sexual offending, it has since emerged. Since the age of 15, Chapman had been the subject of several sexual assault investigations.
Since the age of 15, he has been the subject of several sexual assault investigations and in 1996 was jailed for raping two prostitutes at knifepoint. In 1996 he was jailed for seven years for raping two prostitutes at knifepoint.
The 19-year-old Chapman was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment and released in 2001.
Ashleigh thought she was meeting another teenagerAshleigh thought she was meeting another teenager
In October last year, Ashleigh was attracted by a picture of a young, bare-chested man that Chapman - calling himself Peter Cartwright - had posted on the website.In October last year, Ashleigh was attracted by a picture of a young, bare-chested man that Chapman - calling himself Peter Cartwright - had posted on the website.
Later that month, she told her mother she was going to stay with a friend. Text messages showed she thought she was being picked up by "Peter Cartwright's" father.Later that month, she told her mother she was going to stay with a friend. Text messages showed she thought she was being picked up by "Peter Cartwright's" father.
Prosecutor Graham Reeds QC said: "He needed a plan which made it more likely that he would get into her car so that he would be able to overpower her for sex. Prosecutor Graham Reeds QC said: "Having invented 19-year-old Peter to make contact with girls he now decided to invent Peter's dad in order to persuade Ashleigh that it was safe to get into his car.
"Having invented 19-year-old Peter to make contact with girls he now decided to invent Peter's dad in order to persuade Ashleigh that it was safe to get into his car.
"The plan he devised was calculated and wicked and it worked.""The plan he devised was calculated and wicked and it worked."
Mr Reeds said Chapman, pretending to be Pete's father, texted Ashleigh and wrote: "Hi hun its pete's dad are you sure you don't mind me picking you up? Pete is really looking foreward to seeing you and yes its ok for you to stay."
He is a predatory sex offender who, through the tentacles of the internet, could reach out to the young and the vulnerable Det Insp Mick Callan, Durham PoliceHe is a predatory sex offender who, through the tentacles of the internet, could reach out to the young and the vulnerable Det Insp Mick Callan, Durham Police
A few seconds later, Ashleigh replied: "No its fine I dnt mind I trust him so I trust u and thank u." Mr Reeds said Chapman picked her up near her home, and then drove her to Thorpe Larches, near Sedgefield, where he attacked her.
The prosecution said Chapman picked her up near her home, and then drove her to the A177 at Thorpe Larches, near Sedgefield, where he sexually assaulted her. "After the rape, her arms were bound up again and further tape was put over her face, suffocating her to death," he said.
Mr Reeds added: "After the rape, her arms were bound up again and further tape was put over her face, suffocating her to death." Her body was dumped in a gully up against a fence by Old Stockton Road.
Her body was dumped in a gully up against a fence by the side of the Old Stockton Road. Chapman was arrested the following day after a nationwide alert went out to trace the car he had been using.
Chapman was arrested the following day on a separate matter after a nationwide alert went out to trace the car he was using.
The registration number had been put into the Automatic Number Plate Recognition System because the convicted sex offender was not complying with his registration requirements.The registration number had been put into the Automatic Number Plate Recognition System because the convicted sex offender was not complying with his registration requirements.
During initial interviews, he told police they could "crush his car" and made no mention of Ashleigh, but later he lost his nerve and told a stunned custody officer: "I killed someone last night."During initial interviews, he told police they could "crush his car" and made no mention of Ashleigh, but later he lost his nerve and told a stunned custody officer: "I killed someone last night."
Ashleigh's mother said her daughter made a mistake and paid with her lifeAshleigh's mother said her daughter made a mistake and paid with her life
He led them to the spot near a lovers' lane where her body was found, almost 24 hours after she left the family home. He led them to the spot where her body was found, almost 24 hours after she left the family home.
Durham Police have admitted that had he remained silent the car would likely have been crushed and valuable evidence lost. Durham Police have admitted that had he remained silent the car would probably have been crushed and valuable evidence lost.
Det Insp Mick Callan, head of the force's major crime team, said: "The truth is he is a predatory sex offender who, through the tentacles of the internet, could reach out to the young and the vulnerable.Det Insp Mick Callan, head of the force's major crime team, said: "The truth is he is a predatory sex offender who, through the tentacles of the internet, could reach out to the young and the vulnerable.
"He knows full well that using his real name and picture would not grab the attention of any young woman for a moment."He knows full well that using his real name and picture would not grab the attention of any young woman for a moment.
"But by using the picture of a good-looking young man as a cover he has woven a web of attraction and deceit that has sadly had a murderous ending.""But by using the picture of a good-looking young man as a cover he has woven a web of attraction and deceit that has sadly had a murderous ending."
Initially Chapman denied the charges, but changed his plea at Monday's hearing.
He will be sentenced later.