lab employee accused of murdering a colleague searched the web for pornography and Googled particulars of serial killers within the hours after disposing of her physique, a jury has heard.
Ross McCullum has admitted the manslaughter of 23-year-old Megan Newborough, however denies having murderous intent when he strangled her and lower her throat with a knife at his house.
A trial at Leicester Crown Courtroom heard McCullum was discovered to have carried out web searches linked to Levi Bellfield, Soham killer Ian Huntley and Yorkshire ripper Peter Sutcliffe.
Prosecutors allege McCullum murdered Megan between 8.08pm and eight.49pm on Friday August 6 final yr, and set off at round 9pm in his sufferer’s automotive to dump her physique in a rustic lane.
Jurors have been informed McCullum, of Windsor Shut, Coalville, left Megan’s Citroen C3 in a parking lot at Loughborough School, the place he dumped bloodstained clothes, shortly earlier than 10pm on August 6.
Persevering with his opening speech to the jury on Thursday, prosecutor John Cammegh KC stated McCullum took a taxi again to Coalville, arriving house at about 10.45pm.
Mr Cammegh stated McCullum then texted Miss Newborough’s cellphone with a messages studying “Did you get again alright child” and “I guessing you’ve gone mattress or your cellphone has died so I’ll discuss to you within the morning after which we will go spherical yours.”
Describing proof discovered by evaluation of cellphone data, the prosecutor informed the jury: “The defendant engaged in quite a lot of this – browsing the web – over the approaching hours and into the following day, Saturday seventh August.
“It’s possible you’ll assume the document of his web shopping supplies a twenty-twenty perception not simply as to what the defendant was taking a look at on-line, however, extra so maybe, into his very mindset.”
At 11.18pm, the courtroom heard, McCullum Googled “Learn how to inform a lady you like her” and 9 minutes later left a voicemail for Miss Newborough wherein he stated he was apprehensive about her and cherished her.
After enjoying the “self-serving” voicemail to the jury, Mr Cammegh added: “For what motive was that despatched aside from to create a false alibi?
“Between that point and about 1am on Saturday morning he browses numerous YouTube channels and web sites .
“Having Googled the climate forecast, he asks a query of Google search – ‘What’s membership soda for cleansing?’ Why would he be taking a look at that?”
Taking jurors via a collection of searches, messages and voicemails, Mr Cammegh continued: “Having Googled the serial killer, intercourse offender, rapist and kidnapper Levi Bellfield on numerous events, it seems that the defendant falls asleep.”
The courtroom heard web cellphone data appeared to point out McCullum was awake by 6.34am on Saturday, once more looking for particulars of Bellfield after which wanting on the information, together with a report a couple of terrorist incident in Streatham.
McCullum then opened a pornography web site with “a transparent emphasis on domination” and opened “maybe dozens” of browser home windows over the a 16-minute interval, Mr Cammegh stated.
Through the shopping, the courtroom heard, McCullum broke off to ship a textual content to Miss Newborough, who lived in Nuneaton, which learn “Morning Child”.
All through Saturday morning, the courtroom heard, Miss Newborough’s household had been frantically making an attempt to contact her.
McCullum is alleged to have made additional calls “feigning concern” for Miss Newborough, who he met whereas working at brick-maker Ibstock, at 8.35am and eight.37am on August 7.
The defendant then made a search regarding Bellfield on a 3rd event, and one regarding Huntley, Mr Cammegh stated, earlier than “the Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe makes an look” within the web historical past.
At 9.58am on Saturday, the courtroom heard, McCullum’s cellphone was used to ship a message to Miss Newborough studying: “Babe I’m getting apprehensive, you didn’t message or name me final evening or right this moment. Please reply as a result of I’m getting actually apprehensive about you.”
Taking the jury via cellphone document charts, Mr Cammegh stated: “Over the pages that observe the defendant continues to Google and search on YouTube concerning the information, climate, Dr Dying – Britain’s greatest serial killer, and about Loughborough School.”
Concluding his opening speech, Mr Cammegh submitted to the courtroom: “The Crown’s case is that the defendant knew precisely what he was doing when he killed Megan – that he acted with sustained objective, utilizing appreciable power, and thereafter carried out himself with precision and icy detachment.
“Always, we are saying, he was in management.
“If having thought-about all of the proof you’ve got any affordable doubts you’ll, in fact, acquit. The Crown’s case is that having heard the proof in full you may be left with out a shadow of doubt that Ross McCullum murdered Megan Newborough.”
Following the Crown’s opening of the case, defence barrister Kerim Fuad KC gave a quick handle to focus on the problems going through the jury within the trial.
McCullum, who has no earlier convictions, claims to have suffered post-traumatic stress dysfunction (PTSD) because of sexual abuse as a baby.
Mr Fuad stated: “He (McCullum) has accepted that he unlawfully killed her by strangling her.
“It’s, put merely, the defence case that on the time he strangled her, he was affected by post-traumatic stress dysfunction because of a collection of acts upon him as a baby.
“His case is that he didn’t have, nor might have, any motive, want or any intention for Miss Newborough to be killed or to be the sufferer of any illegal violence, however for the post-traumatic stress dysfunction that consumed him at the moment, within the sitting room.”
McCullum, aged 30, denies homicide. The trial continues.
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