man who murdered an 18-year-old on an evening out and left her physique in a reservoir confessed to his girlfriend “I’ve strangled anyone”, a court docket has heard.
Lewis Haines killed Lily Sullivan after assembly her at Out nightclub, previously often known as Paddles nightclub, in Pembroke, south-west Wales, on December 16 final yr.
The 31-year-old admits murdering Ms Sullivan however denies it was sexually motivated.
A trial of details is being held at Swansea Crown Courtroom to find out whether or not there was a sexual aspect to the killing earlier than Haines will be sentenced.
The court docket has heard that, after being seen partying with pals and later heading away from the membership with Haines, Ms Sullivan was found submerged in Mill Pond, a two-mile lengthy recent water reservoir close to the city.
She had been strangled and was now not sporting the cream lace crop high she had been pictured in that evening.
Leaving {the teenager} within the water, Haines left the scene and walked previous her mom, Anna, who had been frantically calling her daughter from a close-by storage the place she was parked.
She had been attributable to decide up her daughter and a pal at 2am, however that they had not arrived.
She final spoke to her daughter simply earlier than 3am when Ms Sullivan answered the cellphone and mentioned she was on her technique to the storage to fulfill her.
The cellphone name was reduce off mid-sentence.
CCTV footage reveals Ms Sullivan was with Haines on the time, in an alleyway resulting in the reservoir.
Someday later, Ms Sullivan’s mom mentioned she noticed a person of Haines’ description strolling casually previous and swinging his arms earlier than his behaviour modified and he started wringing his palms, shaking his head and working throughout the highway.
William Hughes QC, prosecuting, instructed the court docket on Monday: “Anna Sullivan determined to observe Lewis Haines.
“Whereas she’d not seen him earlier than, her description of the person is just like Lewis Haines.
“The prosecution consider the individual Anna Sullivan noticed was her daughter’s killer.”
The court docket heard that Haines arrived dwelling to his girlfriend, Maisie John, at round 3.40am and instructed her: “I’ve strangled anyone. They’re in Mill Pond.”
Ms John mentioned Haines’ denims have been damp and he had blood on his arms.
She mentioned Haines was “hysterical” and repeatedly requested to be taken to his mom’s home.
On the journey, he admitted: “I feel she’s lifeless.”
He later instructed his mom that Ms Sullivan had referred to as him a rapist and hit him, and that he had strangled her and pushed her into the water.
Haines claimed to have tried to tug Ms Sullivan out of the water however mentioned she was a “lifeless weight”.
His stepfather, Lee Pitman, drove to Mill Pond looking for Ms Sullivan and referred to as the police on the way in which.
Ms Sullivan was declared lifeless at 6.02am regardless of paramedics’ makes an attempt to revive her.
A autopsy examination revealed she had bruising to her face and had been strangled, however there was no proof she had been sexually assaulted.
Mr Hughes mentioned: “Lily’s lace high was recovered from an space of vegetation along side the water.
“The prosecution’s rivalry is that it was eliminated earlier than she entered the water.”
Haines, a father-of-one, of Flemish Courtroom, Lamphey, Pembrokeshire, had beforehand denied murdering Ms Sullivan however pleaded responsible per week earlier than his trial was attributable to start.
He continues to disclaim the killing was sexually motivated and Decide Paul Thomas will determine previous to sentencing whether or not or not there was a sexual aspect to the homicide.
Haines might face a life sentence with a minimal time period of 30 years if Decide Thomas agrees with the prosecution that the killing was sexual, in contrast with a minimal time period of 15 years if he doesn’t.
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