This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jul/25/jayden-parkinson-ex-boyfriend-life-sentence-murder-ben-blakeley
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Jayden Parkinson's ex-boyfriend given life sentence for her murder | Jayden Parkinson's ex-boyfriend given life sentence for her murder |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| The former boyfriend of Jayden Parkinson, 17, has been jailed for at least 20 years for her murder. | The former boyfriend of Jayden Parkinson, 17, has been jailed for at least 20 years for her murder. |
| Ben Blakeley, 22, a former binman, drug user and petty criminal, strangled Jayden the day after she told him she was expecting his child and hid her body nearby. | Ben Blakeley, 22, a former binman, drug user and petty criminal, strangled Jayden the day after she told him she was expecting his child and hid her body nearby. |
| He later crammed her remains into a suitcase and hired a taxi to take him to a cemetery in Oxfordshire, where he buried her body in his uncle's grave. | He later crammed her remains into a suitcase and hired a taxi to take him to a cemetery in Oxfordshire, where he buried her body in his uncle's grave. |
| As a teenager Blakeley told a member of staff at the children's home where he lived that if he ever had to dispose of a body he would hide it in an old grave so that the body parts would get mixed up, confusing any DNA tests. | As a teenager Blakeley told a member of staff at the children's home where he lived that if he ever had to dispose of a body he would hide it in an old grave so that the body parts would get mixed up, confusing any DNA tests. |
| At his sentencing hearing at Oxford crown court, Jayden's mother Samantha Shrewsbury said in a statement read out in court that the teenager was not just her daughter, but also her best friend, and added that she could not stop picturing the "evil" that was done to her by Blakeley. Jayden's sister, Sharday George, said Blakeley had torn her family and the community apart. | At his sentencing hearing at Oxford crown court, Jayden's mother Samantha Shrewsbury said in a statement read out in court that the teenager was not just her daughter, but also her best friend, and added that she could not stop picturing the "evil" that was done to her by Blakeley. Jayden's sister, Sharday George, said Blakeley had torn her family and the community apart. |
| During his trial Blakeley was shown to be controlling and violent. He tried to take control of proceedings at his sentencing by at one stage walking out of the dock, leading to a pause in the hearing. | During his trial Blakeley was shown to be controlling and violent. He tried to take control of proceedings at his sentencing by at one stage walking out of the dock, leading to a pause in the hearing. |
| It emerged that Blakeley has a string of convictions for offences including violence and possession of drugs. Matthew Walsh, prosecuting, said aggravating features for the murder included Jayden's vulnerability and her suspected pregnancy. | It emerged that Blakeley has a string of convictions for offences including violence and possession of drugs. Matthew Walsh, prosecuting, said aggravating features for the murder included Jayden's vulnerability and her suspected pregnancy. |
| Richard Benson QC, for Blakeley, said he had written to the vicar of the church where he buried Jayden's body to apologise for what he did. Benson argued that the killing had not been pre meditated and claimed Blakeley believed Jayden, who had broken up with his client, had a new boyfriend. | Richard Benson QC, for Blakeley, said he had written to the vicar of the church where he buried Jayden's body to apologise for what he did. Benson argued that the killing had not been pre meditated and claimed Blakeley believed Jayden, who had broken up with his client, had a new boyfriend. |
| Jailing Blakeley for life, Judge Patrick Eccles QC told him he had murdered Jayden in a "jealous rage". He described Blakeley's decision to bury her in his uncle's grave as "twisted". | Jailing Blakeley for life, Judge Patrick Eccles QC told him he had murdered Jayden in a "jealous rage". He described Blakeley's decision to bury her in his uncle's grave as "twisted". |
| Blakeley was a serial abuser of his girlfriends, including Jayden. He controlled them, not allowing them to socialise with anyone else, and confiscated their phones. He also punched, kicked and bit them. | Blakeley was a serial abuser of his girlfriends, including Jayden. He controlled them, not allowing them to socialise with anyone else, and confiscated their phones. He also punched, kicked and bit them. |
| Jayden went to the police about Blakeley shortly before she was killed after he threatened to post explicit videos and photos of her on social network sites. The Independent Police Complaints Commission is examining how officers dealt with the case. | Jayden went to the police about Blakeley shortly before she was killed after he threatened to post explicit videos and photos of her on social network sites. The Independent Police Complaints Commission is examining how officers dealt with the case. |
| A serious case review and domestic homicide review have also been launched. One area the reviews will focus on is the care Jayden received in a hostel for young homeless people in Oxford, part-funded by the county council, where she was staying at the time of her death. | A serious case review and domestic homicide review have also been launched. One area the reviews will focus on is the care Jayden received in a hostel for young homeless people in Oxford, part-funded by the county council, where she was staying at the time of her death. |
| Though Blakeley lived in Reading, Berkshire, 25 miles away, he controlled her every movement at the hostel, ordering her not come out of her room to eat, use the toilet or shower. She survived on crisps and biscuits and sometimes urinated in a bottle. Blakeley told the teenager that someone in the One Foot Forward hostel was spying on her for him and he would find out if she broke his rules. | Though Blakeley lived in Reading, Berkshire, 25 miles away, he controlled her every movement at the hostel, ordering her not come out of her room to eat, use the toilet or shower. She survived on crisps and biscuits and sometimes urinated in a bottle. Blakeley told the teenager that someone in the One Foot Forward hostel was spying on her for him and he would find out if she broke his rules. |
| Following the verdict, the domestic violence charity Refuge renewed its calls for the government to hold a public inquiry into the response of police and other agencies into reports of domestic violence. | Following the verdict, the domestic violence charity Refuge renewed its calls for the government to hold a public inquiry into the response of police and other agencies into reports of domestic violence. |
| A police hunt involving 50 detectives was launched in December last year after Jayden was reported missing. Her body was found in a cemetery next to All Saints' church in Didcot, Oxfordshire, more than a fortnight later. She died as a result of pressure to the neck, and her face and scalp were badly bruised, suggesting she had been kicked or punched. | A police hunt involving 50 detectives was launched in December last year after Jayden was reported missing. Her body was found in a cemetery next to All Saints' church in Didcot, Oxfordshire, more than a fortnight later. She died as a result of pressure to the neck, and her face and scalp were badly bruised, suggesting she had been kicked or punched. |
| Blakeley told the jury at Oxford crown court: "I've gripped every woman I've been with. I have grabbed every chick if I think they are not taking me seriously." | Blakeley told the jury at Oxford crown court: "I've gripped every woman I've been with. I have grabbed every chick if I think they are not taking me seriously." |
| He said he had moved Jayden's body because he could not bear to think of it lying in an unmarked grave. "I know it sounds sick and twisted but I thought it would make things better." He said he was haunted by what he had done. "I see it in my fucking dreams. It's like a video in my dreams. I deserve a death sentence for what I done." | He said he had moved Jayden's body because he could not bear to think of it lying in an unmarked grave. "I know it sounds sick and twisted but I thought it would make things better." He said he was haunted by what he had done. "I see it in my fucking dreams. It's like a video in my dreams. I deserve a death sentence for what I done." |
| Speaking after the sentencing, DCS Andy Murray, of Thames Valley police, said: "To try to conceal that body in a pre-existing grave we think is unique. As detectives we thought we had seen it all and couldn't be shocked or surprised but when we discovered she had been concealed in that pre-existing grave we were just as shocked and surprised as every member of the public was." | Speaking after the sentencing, DCS Andy Murray, of Thames Valley police, said: "To try to conceal that body in a pre-existing grave we think is unique. As detectives we thought we had seen it all and couldn't be shocked or surprised but when we discovered she had been concealed in that pre-existing grave we were just as shocked and surprised as every member of the public was." |
| Judge Patrick Eccles QC said Blakeley had spun a "web of lies" to cover up what he had done. | Judge Patrick Eccles QC said Blakeley had spun a "web of lies" to cover up what he had done. |
| He said: "It required a heart of stone to keep up that pretence and a heart of stone to deal with her body in the way that you did." | He said: "It required a heart of stone to keep up that pretence and a heart of stone to deal with her body in the way that you did." |
| The judge said: "On December 3 you took Jayden Parkinson, a complicated but loving and vulnerable 17-year-old girl into open countryside in the dark of an early winter's evening, you murdered her by strangulation." | The judge said: "On December 3 you took Jayden Parkinson, a complicated but loving and vulnerable 17-year-old girl into open countryside in the dark of an early winter's evening, you murdered her by strangulation." |
| Eccles said Blakeley subjected Jayden to "physical and emotional abuse" during their relationship. | Eccles said Blakeley subjected Jayden to "physical and emotional abuse" during their relationship. |
| "You dominated and controlled her daily life," the judge said. "You removed her phone so she couldn't contact others and when she was at the hostel you demanded that she stayed in her room even to the extent of forbidding her from using the toilet, forcing her to urinate in a plastic bottle. Jayden was infatuated with you, her violent abuser, and found it difficult to separate emotionally from you." | "You dominated and controlled her daily life," the judge said. "You removed her phone so she couldn't contact others and when she was at the hostel you demanded that she stayed in her room even to the extent of forbidding her from using the toilet, forcing her to urinate in a plastic bottle. Jayden was infatuated with you, her violent abuser, and found it difficult to separate emotionally from you." |
| The judge said Jayden finally plucked up the courage to end the relationship in November last year, with Blakeley threatening to pose intimate photographs online to "humiliate" her. | The judge said Jayden finally plucked up the courage to end the relationship in November last year, with Blakeley threatening to pose intimate photographs online to "humiliate" her. |
| "Unfortunately she discovered that she was pregnant and you were the father," the judge said. "Being a decent young woman she wished to inform you of that fact." | "Unfortunately she discovered that she was pregnant and you were the father," the judge said. "Being a decent young woman she wished to inform you of that fact." |
| The judge said the pregnancy was the only reason Jayden met Blakeley on the day he murdered her. | The judge said the pregnancy was the only reason Jayden met Blakeley on the day he murdered her. |
| "At the time you were in my judgement consumed with anger having found out that Jayden had been intimate with another young man after she had broken off her relationship with you," he said. The judge said Blakeley murdered Jayden without thinking of the possibility she could be carrying his unborn child. | "At the time you were in my judgement consumed with anger having found out that Jayden had been intimate with another young man after she had broken off her relationship with you," he said. The judge said Blakeley murdered Jayden without thinking of the possibility she could be carrying his unborn child. |
| Of his decision to bury Jayden in his uncle's grave, the judge said: "To your twisted mind you might have thought a graveyard was a better place for Jayden to be buried than a ditch in a field but there was no respect or remorse in this hasty interment." | Of his decision to bury Jayden in his uncle's grave, the judge said: "To your twisted mind you might have thought a graveyard was a better place for Jayden to be buried than a ditch in a field but there was no respect or remorse in this hasty interment." |
| The judge said Jayden's father had died shortly before the trial and must have been "haunted" by what Blakeley had done. | The judge said Jayden's father had died shortly before the trial and must have been "haunted" by what Blakeley had done. |
| He said Blakeley had caused upset to the priest, congregation and family members of those buried in the cemetery by the "sacrilege done there". | He said Blakeley had caused upset to the priest, congregation and family members of those buried in the cemetery by the "sacrilege done there". |
| Members of Jayden's family shouted "See you in hell" as Blakeley was led to the cells. | Members of Jayden's family shouted "See you in hell" as Blakeley was led to the cells. |
| Speaking outside court, Jayden's mother Samantha Shrewsbury said: "We will never be able to find an ounce of forgiveness for the evil that murdered Jayden and then concealed her body in such a cold, calculated and callous | |
| manner. | |
| "For us as a family, today is not the final chapter in this tragedy. But now we can at least begin the challenge of coming to terms with the heartbreak which we all feel, and the rebuilding of our lives. Despite today's sentencing of Ben Blakeley, our nightmare will never end. | |
| "We can never erase from our minds the pain that was inflicted on Jayden, nor can we erase the image of Jayden's battered and bruised body. We will never be able to celebrate birthdays, Easter or Christmas with Jayden, and we will never get to see Jayden grow up, get married and have children - this is our life sentence, it's now time for Ben Blakeley to start his." |