Court

Jordan Taylor Found Guilty of Laura Davies Murder
Thur 14th Jan 2016, Yellow Advertiser

JORDAN Taylor has been convicted of murdering Pitsea woman Laura Davies last July.

Jurors rejected the 22-year-old’s claim that he was suffering from a personality disorder when he stabbed Laura more than 80 times on July 3.

Prosecutor Peter Gair told jurors how Taylor had murdered Davies, 21, of Churchill Avenue, after she cooked them dinner at her shared home at the Essex Horse and Pony Protection Society.

He claimed Taylor attacked her and disfigured her as ’punishment’ for deciding to end their relationship.

Witnesses testified that Laura had met Taylor while living with her father in Derby but had then moved back to Essex to pursue her dream of working with animals.

She later offered to let Taylor live with her as a friend, after learning he had been made homeless.

Their relationship turned romantic a few months later but friends told the court how Laura’s behaviour then began to change and she confided in them that Taylor was suspicious and controlling.

She told friends and relatives how he stopped her from wearing vest tops and tried to prevent her from attending family functions, accusing her of sneaking off to have illicit affairs.

Witnesses told how she had shared her plans to end their relationship weeks before her murder, but was going to let Taylor continue living with her until he completed a training course and was able to support himself – because she did not want to see him homeless again.

Jurors heard how Taylor attacked Laura the day after completing the training course.

He stabbed her in the stomach in their kitchen, then chased her outside and continued attacking her for a further nine minutes, making shallow stab wounds to her face and disfiguring her breasts.

Speaking after today’s verdict, lead investigator DCI Marina Ericson said: “She was fighting for her life. His vengeful and violent actions took that young life.”

The sustained attack bent the blade on the weapon.

Taylor admitted the killing but alleged Laura had threatened him with the knife first.

He also called an expert witness – Professor Gillian Mezey, a forensic psychiatrist – who claimed he suffered from severe personality disorder which had significantly contributed to his actions when he killed Laura. He used the testimony to support a second defence of ‘diminished responsibility’.

But prosecution expert Dr David Baird, also a forensic psychiatrist, said that while Taylor displayed ‘abnormal’ personality traits, they did not pass the threshold for diagnosis with a mental condition.

Judge Charles Gratwicke told jurors that as the defence had raised the defence of diminished responsibility, the burden of proof was on the defence to substantiate it.

If jurors felt it was proved, they could have found Taylor guilty of manslaughter.

However, the panel of eight women and four men rejected the argument and delivered a unanimous guilty verdict this morning.

A statement from Laura’s family, issued by Essex Police, said: “We would like to say a special thank you to PCs Heidi Lee and Andy Quinn, who have helped us through this difficult time.

“Also to the eyewitness, who called the police on that tragic night and to everybody who has worked on this case.

“Through Laura’s death, the world has lost an amazing person and our lives will never be the same without her.

“Laura was a loving, caring person who didn’t have a bad bone in her body. She had a passion for animals and devoted her life to caring for and protecting them.

“Laura was beautiful and loved by all who knew her. She is greatly missed and will always be in our hearts and never forgotten.”

Taylor will be sentenced tomorrow.

NB. Taylor was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 23 years.

Back to Jordan Taylor Murder Trial

Back to Court

Back to Portfolio