Vicious thug batters girlfriend to death and dumps body in a ditch

Vicious thug who battered his girlfriend to death, dumped her body in a ditch and told her family she was killed in a hit-and-run is jailed for life with 20-year minimum term

• Alan Edney, 31, murdered Kerry Owen, 35, before dumping her body in a ditch 

A thug who ‘savagely’ battered his girlfriend to death before pretending to her family she had been killed in a hit-and-run has been jailed for life with 20-year minimum term.

Alan Edney, 31, murdered Kerry Owen, 35, before dumping her body in a ditch along a remote country lane covered in grass cuttings.

A court heard Kerry was discovered by a dog walker along Wast Hills Lane in Hopwood, Worcestershire on May, 27 last year. 

Edney, who is from Birmingham, was found guilty of murder following a four week trial at Worcester Crown Court.  

On June, 29, he was jailed for life and told he would serve a minimum of 20 years behind bars.

Alan Edney (pictured), who is from Birmingham, was found guilty of murder following a four week trial at Worcester Crown Court and was jailed for life, serving a minimum of 20 years 

A court heard Kerry Owen (pictured) was discovered by a dog walker along Wast Hills Lane in Hopwood, Worcestershire on May, 27 last year

Detective Chief Inspector Gerry Smith, of West Mercia Police, said: ‘Edney spent the hours after he had killed Kerry elaborately covering his tracks, Instead of calling for an ambulance after he had brutally attacked her, he sought to cover her body and hide his involvement’

The man’s dog discovered a pool of blood before Kerry’s body was found nearby in the undergrowth.

In the meantime, Edney had spun a web of elaborate lies to cover his tracks, telling her family members Kerry had been killed in a hit-and-run.

He even said he’d accompanied her body to hospital and claimed he had been taken to a police station to give a statement about the collision.

Jurors heard in reality, he had subjected his partner to a ‘savage beating’ before dumping her body in a ditch.

Detective Chief Inspector Gerry Smith, of West Mercia Police, said: ‘Edney spent the hours after he had killed Kerry elaborately covering his tracks.

‘Instead of calling for an ambulance after he had brutally attacked her, he sought to cover her body and hide his involvement.

‘He contacted her family and told them she had been killed in a hit and run collision.

‘Even after he was arrested on suspicion of her murder he continued to lie, telling officers he had alibis.

‘He later told officers in custody he had been in bed at the time Kerry was killed.

‘However, our investigation uncovered Edney’s elaborate web of lies with extensive enquiries, which included forensic, house to house and CCTV enquiries.

‘This proved his account was false and he was in fact responsible for her murder.

‘Edney will now face the consequences of his violent and deceitful actions and while today’s verdict will not undo a horrific killing, I hope it brings some solace to Kerry’s family that justice has been done.’

Source: Read Full Article