CPS News Brief

Kayleigh Haywood’s killer brought to justice

Two men have been convicted of a range of offences that culminated in the rape and murder of Leicestershire teenager Kayleigh Haywood.

Janine Smith, Chief Crown Prosecutor at CPS East Midlands said: “The death of Kayleigh Haywood was devastating. She suffered a terrifying ordeal at the hands of Stephen Beadman. She was only in that position because she had been groomed by Luke Harlow before being kept against her will. 

“Beadman callously raped and took the life of an innocent teenage girl. Harlow pursued a succession of under-age girls in a sinister manner, talking about ‘kidnapping’ them and making them ‘slaves’. 

“I would like to offer my heartfelt sympathy to Kayleigh’s family and I hope the conviction of these highly dangerous men will in some way help them start to cope with their loss.”

Additional information

Kayleigh’s body was found in a field just outside Ibstock in Leicestershire on 18 November 2015. She had been reported missing the previous weekend. Stephen Beadman, a landscape gardener from Ibstock, pleaded guilty to raping and murdering her. His neighbour, Luke Harlow pleaded guilty to grooming Kayleigh and sexual activity with a child. Both were found guilty by a jury at Nottingham Crown Court of false imprisonment, for detaining Kayleigh against her will in Harlow’s flat.

In the days leading up to the tragic events of that weekend, Harlow had made contact with Kayleigh over social media. He had flattered her, befriended her and enticed her to meet him. The Friday before she died, Kayleigh told her family that she was staying with a friend but was in fact meeting with Harlow.

Although Kayleigh went to visit Harlow of her own accord, at some point during the weekend, circumstances changed and she tried to escape. She was followed by Beadman, who raped her and killed her. He abandoned her body in nearby undergrowth, before returning to Harlow’s flat to collect his keys and Kayleigh’s belongings, which he abandoned in a skip along with his own bloodstained clothing. 

Neither came forward when the police were searching for Kayleigh, but were traced through Kayleigh’s social media activity. Both admitted what they had done, but denied holding Kayleigh against her will. 

Further investigations into Harlow’s online activity revealed attempts to groom other teenage girls before Kayleigh and he pleaded guilty to attempted grooming offences for two other girls.

Although Stephen Beadman pleaded guilty to raping and murdering Kayleigh and Luke Harlow pleaded guilty to grooming and sexual activity with a child, their pleas did not cover the full extent of their criminal actions, so both were tried for false imprisonment.

Four sentenced to a total of 29 years for £98 million tax fraud scheme

Four men have been sentenced to a total of 29 years imprisonment for their role in an elaborate tax fraud involving the funding of UK film productions. The defendants dishonestly claimed losses had been made so that income tax could be falsely claimed back from HMRC.  

Keith Hayley, Robert Bevan, Anthony Savill and Norman Leighton were convicted of conspiracy to cheat at Birmingham Crown Court. Tax reliefs are available to UK investors in film productions and the defendants took advantage to make fraudulent claims. 

In return for making payments to Limited Liability Partnership investors were to receive a share of any loss incurred during production, which they could offset against other income. Losses were inflated and therefore significant gains made by claiming tax relief. 

Naheed Hussain, Deputy Head of the Specialist Fraud Division at the CPS said: “These men used a scheme designed to boost the British economy and stole money from the public purse. 

“The CPS will now take steps to recover the criminal assets in this case.”

 

Additional information

Keith Hayley, Robert Bevan, Anthony Savill and Norman Leighton devised the scheme which was sold on to investors by independent financial advisors. 

The scheme worked by investors paying money into an LLP in the form of a long term loan. The scheme was marketed as funding the British film industry, however the scheme was designed to fail and the investors were able to offset their “losses” against other taxable earnings. 

Details of the charges: 

Keith Hayley, Robert Bevan and Charles Savill were each sentenced to nine years imprisonment, whilst Norman Leighton was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment (suspended)

 

 

Family sentenced for £2.8 million theft from employer

Shelagh Smith, Roy Smith and their daughter Karen Lewis have been sentenced to a total of seven years and four months imprisonment for their involvement in a £2.8 million theft from Glen Dimplex Home Appliances. 

Shelagh Smith made false accounting records to conceal a large number of transfers made over a five year period, between 2005 and 2010. She employed techniques to mask transactions, fraudulently transferring money to her family’s bank account while sending duplicate transfers of the same amounts to legitimate business suppliers. 

Justine Allan, specialist prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service said: "The Smiths were trusted employees. Shelagh Smith used her position and access to the company’s accounts to make illegal payments to her own bank account and the personal accounts of family members.

“She covered up these thefts amounting to over £2.8 million over a number of years.

“On the strength of the Crown’s case Shelagh Smith entered a guilty plea and, although initially denying involvement, Roy Smith and Karen Lewis later changed their pleas to guilty.”

Shelagh Smith’s daughter, Karen Lewis, received 38 payments totalling £677,000 over the five-year period. She initially said that she thought that the money came from compensation for a workplace accident her father had suffered.  Later she admitted that she knew or suspected that the money was the proceeds of crime.  

Roy Smith initially denied knowing anything about the fraud, saying that his wife had complete control of the family finances and led him to believe they were comfortably off.  

Additional information

Shelagh Smith was employed by the company (under an earlier name and management) from September 1975 up until her dismissal in 2010. Her husband Roy Smith was employed by the same company from 1971.

Details of the charges:

Shelagh Smith was charged with false accounting contrary to section 17(1)(a) Theft Act 1968. Between 7 June 2005 and 14 October 2010 she dishonestly falsified bank statements and records for personal gain. The total amount taken across 163 transactions is £2,811,904.30. She was sentenced to 40 months imprisonment.

Roy Smith was charged with using criminal property, namely cash, during the same period, knowing or suspecting it to be the proceeds of crime contrary to s.329(b) Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. He was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment.

Karen Lewis was charged with using criminal property, namely cash, during the same period, knowing or suspecting it to be the proceeds of crime contrary to s.329(b) Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. She was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment.

Shelagh Smith pleaded guilty on 11 June 2015.  Roy Smith and Karen Lewis pleaded guilty on 16 May 2016 to using the proceeds of Shelagh’s crime.

Directors already disqualified for malpractice defrauded 259 victims of £3 million

Timothy Wren, who controlled the wide-reaching fraud, involving over 250 victims, was convicted of conspiracy to defraud along with John ‘Jack’ Chandler, Jeanette Chandler, Kevin Hilton and Alfred Arthur. Today they were sentenced to a total of 29 years imprisonment.

This land banking fraud deceived 259 victims that their investments in land in Redditch, Warwickshire, would return profit, after its sale to residential property developers. However, this land was part of the green belt reserved for agricultural use.

Geoff Southcote-Want, Specialist Fraud Prosecutor, Crown Prosecution Service said:

“Land banking fraud has the potential to ruin lives, damaging the future of its victims by draining their life savings.

“The victims’ money, a total of £3.5 million, was spent by the offenders on purchases including Ferrari and Maserati cars costing £115k and £90k each.

“The Crown Prosecution Service is committed to bringing fraudsters such as these to justice. We are now pursuing the confiscation of the assets in this case under the Proceeds of Crime Act.”

Wren and Hilton had already been disqualified as directors by the Financial Services Authority and worked with others between August 2005 and 2012 to fraudulently obtain significant sums of money.

Additional information

The defendants lied that there were ‘known developers’ interested in the land, that planning permission was in place and development was under consideration by the council. None of these facts were true.  

One woman invested and lost her entire life savings, while another investor, who was left blind after an assault, lost the money he was paid as compensation to the fraud.

Details of the charges:

Timothy Wren, John ‘Jack’ Chandler, Jeanette Chandler, Kevin Hilton and Alfred Arthur were charged with and convicted of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to common law.

Details of the sentences:

Timothy Wren received eight years imprisonment, John ‘Jack’ Chandler received seven years, Kevin Hilton received six years and Jeanette Chandler and Alfred Arthur each received four years imprisonment.

Ben Butler convicted of murdering his daughter

Ben Butler, aged 36, was convicted today at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of his six-year-old daughter Ellie on 28 October 2013. 

Malcolm McHaffie, CPS London Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor, said: 

“Six-year-old Ellie Butler was murdered in her home, where she should have felt safe, by her violent father who should have loved and protected her.

“The CPS presented evidence of Ben Butler’s contempt for his daughter and his aggressive nature and volatile temper through text messages and diary entries.

“We may never know exactly what happened in the last few hours of Ellie’s life but the CPS built a strong case to show that her death was the result of deliberate violence by Butler. 

“Butler and his partner and Ellie’s mother, Jennie Gray, did all they could to try to divert the police investigation away from any suspicion of Butler. However, the Crown’s expert medical evidence showed that Ellie’s catastrophic head injuries could not have been the result of an accident, but must have been deliberately inflicted. 

“This was a complex and challenging case which involved a thorough police investigation and was clearly and carefully presented to the court by the CPS. Their hard work and dedication has helped secure justice for Ellie.”

Statement in Operation Kaddie

The Crown Prosecution Service has decided that no further action should be taken against a 75 year-old man who was investigated by South Yorkshire Police for allegations of non-recent sexual abuse. 

Martin Goldman, Chief Crown Prosecutor for Yorkshire and Humberside, said: 

“The CPS has carefully reviewed evidence relating to claims of non-recent sexual offences dating between 1958 and 1983 made by four men.

“We have decided that there is insufficient evidence to prosecute.

“This decision has been made in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors and our guidance for prosecutors on cases of sexual offences.  

“The CPS worked with police during the investigation. This has helped minimise the time needed to reach a decision once we received the complete file of evidence on 10 May.

"The complainants have been informed and provided with a full explanation in writing."

Further Information 

It is not the function of the CPS to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for the criminal court to consider.

The CPS assessment of any case is not in any sense a finding of, or implication of, any guilt or criminal conduct.  It is not a finding of fact, which can only be made by a court, but rather an assessment of what it might be possible to prove to a court, in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

This assessment is based on the evidence available arising out of the police investigation and not on the evidence that is likely to be gathered by the defence, and likely to be used to test the prosecution evidence. The CPS charging decision is therefore necessarily an assessment on the basis of the evidence that is available to the CPS at the time the decision is made.

CPS prosecutors must also keep every case under review, so that they take account of any change in circumstances that occurs as the case develops, including what becomes known of the defence case. If appropriate, the CPS may change the charges or stop a case.

First North East prosecution for controlling or coercive behaviour

A Cleveland man has today been sentenced in what is believed to be the North East’s first prosecution for the new criminal offence of controlling or coercive behaviour.

Richard James Wilshaw, 36, of Melsonby Court, Billingham, was sentenced to a total of three and a half years, after pleading guilty to one count of engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour, one count of perverting the course of justice and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The charges all relate to an attack by Wilshaw on his partner in December of last year.

Gerry Wareham, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS North East said:

“Domestic abuse can have a devastating impact on the lives of victims and the CPS is committed to robust and effective prosecution. 

“Wilshaw alternated between menacing and loving behaviour. When the victim followed Wilshaw’s rules, he was loving and pleasant, but when the victim resisted, his behaviour changed and became harmful, including forcing her to stay in his flat against her will. This is recognisable as controlling or coercive behaviour, where one person holds more power than the other within an intimate or family relationship.

“There are a number of reasons why people may not report this abuse, including some victims not realising the full extent of the manipulation because it can be incredibly nuanced. The nature of the offence is such that it is often very difficult for victims who may feel unable to come forward or frightened of the consequences if they do. My message to victims is clear – if you feel you are subject to this kind of controlling abusive behaviour then please come forward and the CPS will do everything we can to bring offenders to justice.”

Crown Prosecution Service statement: Operation Lydd

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has considered a file of evidence from the Metropolitan Police relating to one suspect in connection with allegations made concerning the movement and alleged ill treatment of Abdel Hakim Belhadj and his wife, Fatima Boudchar, and Sami Al Saadi and his wife and children from countries in South East Asia to Libya in 2004.    

Sue Hemming, Head of the CPS’s Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said:

“Following a thorough investigation, the CPS has decided that there is insufficient evidence to charge the suspect with any criminal offence.

“We made our decision based upon all the available admissible evidence and after weighing up all of the information we have been provided with.”    

Assessing the evidence

On 5 January 2012, the joint Crown Prosecution Service and Metropolitan Police Service panel set up to consider complaints of ill treatment against detainees advised that further investigation was needed in respect of these allegations.

Sue Hemming, the Head of Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, who had been appointed as the reviewing lawyer and decision maker in respect of these matters, gave some initial advice and the MPS opened the Operation Lydd investigation.

The terms of reference required the MPS ‘to investigate the treatment whilst awaiting transfer, the circumstances of transfer and also the treatment and interviewing once in Libya’ of the Belhadj and Al Saadi families.   

In what has been a thorough and painstaking investigation, evidence and information was obtained from a large number of records, individuals and organisations including the Secret Intelligence Service, the Security Service, other Government Departments and authorities in other countries.  

Evidence was also taken from alleged victims and other witnesses during the course of this four year investigation. The CPS also considered the closed report from the Gibson Inquiry.   

All those concerned have been mindful of the obligation that allegations such as these must be investigated thoroughly and in accordance with Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.   

Given the serious and highly sensitive matters involved and the complex nature of the investigation called for, it has inevitably taken some time both to investigate and review.

The investigation is now complete and the MPS requested a charging decision in respect of one suspect.

Before making the final decision, the CPS obtained detailed advice from Richard Whittam QC who at the time of instruction was First Senior Treasury Counsel.   

The CPS also worked closely with the Metropolitan Police throughout the process.

 

Possible offences and the findings on each

It is not claimed that the suspect directly committed the alleged acts but that he aided and abetted, counselled or procured the offending from the UK.

As the movement and alleged ill-treatment took place outside the UK, the CPS first had to decide if it had the ability to prosecute each offence.

A number of offences were considered:

• Aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring any offence of kidnap, false imprisonment or assault    
• Aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring any offence of torture
• Misconduct in public office

 

Aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring any offence of kidnap, false imprisonment or assault: There is no jurisdiction to consider these offences.

The alleged acts of kidnap, false imprisonment and assault happened abroad, and the law does not allow the CPS to prosecute the secondary offences of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring for these offences unless the principal offences took place in England and Wales or jurisdiction abroad is provided by law.

Aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring any offence of torture: The law provides jurisdiction for offending abroad.  The CPS has concluded that there is insufficient evidence to prosecute because of the conclusions below.       

Misconduct in public office: This can be based upon the conduct in this country and the suspect concerned was a public official. The CPS has concluded that there is insufficient evidence to prosecute.     

Misconduct in public office requires the prosecution to prove the following four elements:

• A public officer acting as such
• Wilfully neglects to perform a duty and/or wilfully misconducts himself
• To such a degree as to amount to the abuse of the public’s trust in that office holder
• Without reasonable excuse or justification

 

Conclusions

We have considered a substantial amount of evidence.   

The security marking of the potential evidence in this case is such that we are unable to provide a public summary of the material submitted to us. Whilst the evidence is in some respects comprehensive particularly given the substantial amount of documentary material which still exists, it has been understandably difficult to piece together events from over 10 years ago with enough precision or for witnesses to recall matters in sufficient detail to prove the elements of the alleged offences.  

It is clear, though, that officials from the UK did not physically detain, transfer or ill-treat the alleged victims directly, nor did the suspect have any connection to the initial physical detention of either man or their families.   

Following careful review, the CPS has concluded that there is sufficient evidence to support the contention that the suspect had:

1. been in communication with individuals from the foreign countries responsible for the detention and transfer of the Belhadj and Al Saadi families;  
2. disclosed aspects of what was occurring to others within this country; and
3. sought political authority for some of his actions albeit not within a formal written process nor in detail which covered all his communications and conduct.

After additional investigation and careful consideration, it remains unclear what impact or influence the communications and conduct of the suspect had on the actions of decision makers abroad.   

It is also impossible to reconcile conflicting evidence about what happened at the time and shortly afterwards or to prove each element of the offences to the required criminal standard. The burden of proof in respect of any criminal matter is on the prosecution and it is important that the Crown is able to advance a coherent case.  The evidence is such that it is insufficiently clear for us to do so.    

The Code for Crown Prosecutors requires the evidential stage of the Code Test to be met before the public interest can be considered.  Therefore applying the Code Test, as it must, the CPS has concluded that there is insufficient evidence to afford a realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offence; in other words, we are unable to say that a jury considering all the available evidence is more likely than not to convict.        

The CPS's function is not to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for the criminal court to consider. The CPS assessment of any case is not in any sense a finding of, or implication of, any guilt or criminal conduct. It is not a finding of fact, which can only be made by a court, but rather an assessment of what it might be possible to prove to a court, in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

This assessment is based on the evidence available arising out of the police investigation and not on the evidence that is likely to be gathered by the defence, and likely to be used to test the prosecution evidence. The CPS charging decision is therefore necessarily an assessment on the basis of the evidence that is available to the CPS at the time the decision is made. 

CPS prosecutors must also keep every case under review, so that they take account of any change in circumstances that occurs as the case develops, including what becomes known of the defence case. If appropriate, the CPS may change the charges or stop a case.

 

Background

Operation Lydd began 5 January 2012. A joint CPS/ Metropolitan Police Service panel was set up to consider complaints of ill treatment against detainees.

The terms of reference required the MPS ‘to investigate the treatment whilst awaiting transfer, the circumstances of transfer and also the treatment and interviewing once in Libya’ of the Belhadj and Al Saadi families.   

The panel advised that further investigation was needed in respect of these allegations.

CPS prosecutors on call during Euro 2016

A specialist team of CPS prosecutors will be on call during the European Championships (Euro 2016) which kick off in France on 10 June.  They will act as a point of contact to the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) and assist them in seeking a Civil Football Banning Order against individuals in appropriate cases. 

Ahead of Euro 2016, CPS has worked with UKFPU and Foreign and Commonwealth Office colleagues to ensure that arrangements are in place for the French courts to deal with appropriate cases.  CPS has also worked with HMCTS colleagues to agree the operation of a number of courts throughout England and Wales to deal with Euro 2016 related cases.

220,000 tickets have been sold to British fans for the tournament and all Euro 2016 matches fall under the provisions of the Football Spectators Act.  This means that public order offences and offences of violence that are committed during or following a Euro 2016 match may be considered football related and therefore Football Banning Orders may be applicable. 

John Montague, CPS National Lead Football Prosecutor said: 

“The European Championships are set to be a fantastic occasion and we want all the fans to enjoy the tournament in safety. 

“Should this safety be compromised in any way by fans from the UK, our prosecutors will be on hand to advise the police on criminal charges and where a Football Banning Order is considered appropriate. 

“We hope all travelling England and Wales fans enjoy their time in France and that it is an unforgettable experience for all the right reasons.”

Further information

• The eight specialist football prosecutors will be on call from 0500 hours – 0100 hours the following morning for the duration of the tournament.  
• Approximately 220,000 tickets have been sold to British fans, but we can expect many more to travel to France to enjoy the tournament.
• Football Banning Orders are designed to prevent football-related violence and disorder. They can be sought against an individual either on conviction for a relevant offence or by way of complaint where the police apply for an order from the court. 
• Only a court can impose a football banning order. Orders can be between 3 and 10 years in duration. 
• Breach of a banning order is a criminal offence, punishable by a maximum sentence of 6 months in prison or a fine of up to £5,000, or both. In addition a further banning order may be imposed. 
• The large majority of those who are subject to football banning orders received them because of incidents at or relating to domestic football games rather than at international fixtures.

Paedophile who targeted vulnerable communities abroad to abuse children sentenced

Richard Huckle was sentenced today to life imprisonment with a minimum term of almost 24 years for 71 counts of child sexual abuse.

The 30-year-old targeted communities abroad to carry out the abuse on young children, including multiple rapes.

Anthony Hill, International Justice and Organised Crime prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service, said:

“It is hard to put into words the sheer depravity of this case. For almost nine years, Richard Huckle subjected at least 23 children, some of them very young, to the most horrifying abuse imaginable.

“He deliberately targeted and groomed vulnerable communities abroad to gain their trust.

“He took photographs of the abuse to upload on the dark web to share worldwide. He created a score card where he gave himself points for different types of abuse and wrote a paedophile manual giving tips on how to abuse victims and avoid detection.

“Borders are not a barrier to justice and the CPS worked closely with the NCA to painstakingly review all of the evidence from the internet, his computers and cameras. The strength of our evidence led to him pleading guilty to 71 charges.

“Due to the determination of the CPS and investigating authorities, this dangerous man has been brought to justice and is no longer a risk to children.”

Additional information

Huckle identified and targeted an impoverished community in Malaysia with the specific intention of raping and abusing children within that community.

Richard Huckle pleaded guilty to 71 counts committed over the course of nine years. This included 13 offences of rape, nine offences involving penetrative sexual activity, 34 offences of sexual activity or assault and the taking of very many indecent photographs and videos.

Sentencing details

Richard Huckle was sentenced today to life imprisonment with a minimum tariff of 23 years and 242 days.

Dutch yacht drug smugglers sentenced

Two men have been sentenced today to a total of over 34 years for smuggling cocaine worth over £41 million in a yacht.

Hendrik Brugmans and Raymond Aalders smuggled the cocaine hidden in a yacht, known as ‘Golem’. Both pleaded guilty and were sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court.

Lorna Vincent, reviewing lawyer in the International Justice and Organised Crime Division at the CPS, said:

“Hendrik Brugmans and Raymond Aalders smuggled nearly a tonne of cocaine, which has an estimated wholesale value of over £41 million. They hid the cocaine inside the yacht in a workbench, seat floors, a wardrobe and a fresh water tank.

“The yacht was found seven miles off the South East of Rye within British territorial waters, where Hendrik Brugmans was found as the owner of the yacht and Raymond Aalders was aboard.

“The strength of our evidence left the two men, who were in pursuit of enormous profits, with no choice but to plead guilty. This case shows no matter how sophisticated the drugs importation, the CPS will work hard to bring offenders to justice.”

Sentencing details

Hendrik Brugmans: 20 years 9 months

Raymond Aalders: 14 years

Man sentenced after pleading guilty to murdering woman he met on an online dating site

Carl Langdell has today, 3 June, been sentenced to life imprisonment at St. Albans Crown Court after pleading guilty to the murder of Katie Locke. 

Adrian Foster, Chief Crown Prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said: “This case involved the tragic murder of 23-year-old Katie Locke by Carl Langdell in Waltham Cross last December.  

"We know that nothing will bring Katie back to her family and friends, but we hope that the conviction and today’s sentence bring them at least a small sense that justice has been done. Our thoughts are very much with them all at this time.  We have worked closely with Hertfordshire Constabulary since this investigation was launched and as a result of the hard work and diligence of the prosecution team, a just outcome has been achieved."

Background

After chatting on the dating site ‘Plenty of Fish,’ for about two weeks, Katie agreed to meet Langdell on Wednesday, 23 December 2015, in London for their first date of dinner and drinks.  Langdell had told Katie that he was a lawyer and had his own firm, which were lies.  The truth was that over the previous two years he had increasingly suffered from mental illness and had spent time in psychiatric hospitals.  At the end of this first date and in the early hours of 24 December, Katie agreed to go back to a hotel in Waltham Cross with him.  At the hotel, Langdell strangled her in the hotel room before disposing of her body in the hotel grounds.

 

On the morning of Christmas Eve, realising that Katie had not returned home, her family and friends made a concerted effort to identify Langdell.  Through internet searches they identified him and contacted him through Facebook.  Langdell replied saying Katie had left in a taxi and he did not know where she was.  They established an address in Waltham Cross he was associated with and Katie’s Father travelled there desperate to locate his daughter.  On arrival, he was shocked to learn that Langdell had just admitted to his Mother that he had killed Katie, so he called the police and Langdell was located and arrested.

Despite telling the police where to locate Katie’s body when he was arrested, Langdell answered ‘no comment’ during police interviews, but was evidentially linked to the murder.  On 18 March 2016, at St Albans Crown Court, due to the strength of evidence against him, and recognising that justice had caught up with him, he pleaded guilty to murdering Katie.