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Taxi driver jailed for Sian O'Callaghan murder Taxi driver jailed for Sian O'Callaghan murder
(about 2 hours later)
Taxi driver Christopher Halliwell has been jailed for life after he admitted murdering Sian O'Callaghan. A taxi driver has been jailed for a minimum of 25 years after admitting the "savage and brutal" sexually-motivated murder of a young woman — but has escaped possible prosecution over a second killing despite leading police to the victim's body.
Mrs Justice Cox told father-of-three Halliwell, 48, of Swindon, he would serve at least 25 years after he pleaded guilty to the charge during a hearing at Bristol crown court. Chris Halliwell was imprisoned for life after pleading guilty to murdering 22-year-old Sian O'Callaghan, who went missing after leaving a nightclub in Swindon.
A second charge, involving Becky Godden-Edwards, was withdrawn after a high court judge ruled that Det Supt Steve Fulcher breached Halliwell's rights by failing to caution him and denying him a solicitor in an attempt to force information out of him. Even though Halliwell took police to the body of a second young woman, that of Becky Godden-Edwards, and said he had abducted and killed her, he has not been prosecuted over her death because a judge ruled the way a senior detective interviewed him was unlawful and would not allow the evidence to be used in court.
O'Callaghan, 22, disappeared after leaving Swindon's Suju nightclub in the early hours of 19 March last year after a night out with friends. Outside court, O'Callaghan's relatives paid tribute to the "truly wonderful life" their daughter had lived. Her father, Michael, said he was pleased justice had been done as far as his family was concerned — but added: "Our thoughts go out to Becky's family."
Hundreds of volunteers went to Savernake forest to help in the search for her but police found her body in Uffington, Oxfordshire, on 24 March. Godden-Edwards's mother, Karen, said it had been a "very complicated and painful journey" so far. She said: "Sian's family have had the justice for the murder of their beautiful daughter. However our family's fight for justice, for Becky, has only just begun.
O'Callaghan left the nightclub at 2.53am for the short walk to the home she shared with her boyfriend, Kevin Reape. Shortly after she walked past the Goddard Arms on the High Street in the Old Town area, she got into Halliwell's taxi. "Even though Becky has been found we still have no understanding of how she met her death." She broke down into tears as she added: "I would like the full support of you all to get justice for my daughter Becky."
Halliwell had signed off from work but, instead of going home, he cruised the streets of Swindon in his green Toyota Avensis taxi looking for a victim. O'Callaghan was abducted by Halliwell, 48, after she got into his taxi in the early hours of the 19 March last year after spending a night out at a club. Rather than driving her home he took her to a forest half an hour away. He stabbed her twice in the head and neck with a kitchen knife, once with severe force, and punched or kicked her in the face. She suffered a wound to her left breast that could have been caused by a bite. He removed her underwear and leggings and sections appeared to have been cut from those garments. Her bra had also been torn off.
The court heard that he took O'Callaghan to Savernake forest where he murdered her. Halliwell left her body in the forest. When he realised police were searching there, he moved it to another remote spot and dumped it down an embankment.
Police discovered that, in the 24 hours after O'Callaghan was abducted, Halliwell made four visits to the area where her body had been hidden. Police arrested Halliwell five days later, believing O'Callaghan could still be alive. He refused to talk and the man leading the inquiry, Det Supt Steve Fulcher, ignored guidelines laid down in law governing how a suspect should be treated, because he believed there was a chance to find O'Callaghan alive if he did so. He interviewed him before Halliwell could see a solicitor and without warning him of his right to remain silent.
Prosecutor Ian Lawrie QC told the court: "He had carried out a reconnaissance for a possible deposition site for Sian O'Callaghan." Halliwell led Fulcher to O'Callaghan's body and that of Godden-Edwards, who was last seen in December 2002.
By the early hours of 21 March, Halliwell had moved O'Callaghan's body from Savernake forest to the spot where it was later found. Fulcher broke the news to her family that her body had been found on what would have been Godden-Edwards's 29th birthday.
He then attempted to cover his tracks by cleaning his car and burning his seat covers. At a pre-trial hearing the judge, Mrs Justice Cox, ruled the evidence gleaned from the hilltop interview — and the fact that Halliwell had taken police to the bodies — could not be used in court. It meant there was not enough evidence to bring a case against him over Godden-Edwards' death.
Within three days Halliwell was the prime suspect for O'Callaghan's kidnap and he was placed under 24-hour surveillance. Because there was other evidence relating to O'Callaghan, that case could proceed.
He was arrested at 11.06am on 24 March at an Asda Walmart car park in Swindon and experienced detectives carried out an "urgent interview" with Halliwell. As far as the court was concerned, Halliwell was of previous good character with no history of violence and he avoided the prospect of being imprisoned for the rest of his life for two murders.
Lawrie told the court: "He said he didn't know the whereabouts of Sian and requested to speak to a solicitor." Cox made no mention of Godden-Edwards as she sentenced Halliwell for O'Callaghan's murder. Describing it as a "savage and brutal attack" on a "vulnerable" woman, she said: "The pain, terror, anguish and desperation she would have suffered is truly horrifying to contemplate ... She was terrified, helpless and alone."
O'Callaghan's body was found laying face down and naked from her waist to her ankles. The judge said it was "poignant" that she had got into a taxi because her partner, Kevin Reape, always told her that was the safest thing to do. The judge said she believed it was "murder involving sexual conduct".
A swab taken from an injury to her left breast subsequently revealed a mixed DNA profile, with components from Halliwell – therefore showing him to be a possible contributor, the court was told. Bristol crown court was told that Halliwell had been "circling" the Old Town area of Swindon in search of a victim. The court also heard that in the days after O'Callaghan's disappearance, Halliwell told a colleague: "Who knows what or who you find buried out there, there could be loads of people over the years."
A forensic odontologist inspected the injury and concluded that biting might have caused the bruising. But Halliwell refused to supply a dental impression. Police have vowed to continue to investigate Godden-Edwards's death. They will also probe Halliwell's past to see if he may be responsible for any other unsolved murders.
Home Office pathologist Dr Amanda Jeffrey carried out a postmortem examination and found that O'Callaghan had died from the combined effects of two stab wounds to the head and neck, as well as compression to the neck. Both the families have backed Fulcher's tactics. However, the Independent Police Complaints Commission is to investigate Wiltshire police over breaches of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, which sets out how suspects should be treated.
There was further evidence of blunt trauma to the back of the head and areas of external deep bruising to her face. The trauma to O'Callaghan's head could have been caused either by her falling, being pushed to the ground or by her head being forcibly struck by a broad object. It will also look at allegations over briefings Fulcher is said to have given to some media outlets. He has been suspended.
This resulted in a fracture to the skull and the bruising on her body was consistent with being punched or kicked. Det Ch Supt Kier Pritchard, head of Wiltshire CID, said Halliwell had shown himself a "despicable man, prepared to lie and has shown no remorse throughout".
There was also evidence of bruising to the neck, which could have been caused by either compression, blunt force trauma or a combination of both. He said the investigation into Godden-Edwards's death continued. A team is actively working on the case and if new information is found, they will go back to Halliwell and interview him again.
Forensic examinations found O'Callaghan's blood in the rear of Halliwell's car and police also had CCTV and automatic number place recognition (ANPR) evidence to place him in the Old Town area when she vanished. Pritchard did not criticise Fulcher, saying his colleague's objective had been to recover O'Callaghan alive and senior investigating officers had to work under severe pressure.