MURDER or manslaughter?– that’s the decision facing a jury at Carlisle Crown Court in the trial of a man accused of the death of Annan’s Paul Taylor.
The case opened in the city this morning with the prosecution laying out their arguments.
In the dock was Jack Crawley, 20, from Carlisle, who is accused of the murder of dad-of-two Mr Taylor last October.
He denies that but has admitted his manslaughter on or about October 17 2023.
However, barrister David McLachlan KC, for the prosecution, today told the jury and judge, the Rt Hon Justice Goose, that they believe the killing was pre-meditated and that Crawley “had murder on his mind” at the time.
Mr McLachlan further revealed it was the accused who eventually directed police to Finlandrigg Wood in Cumbria where Mr Taylor’s “skeletal remains” were found in a shallow grave in May.
He said: “We allege Jack Crawley had murder on his mind and he carried out his plan by killing Paul Taylor. After he killed him, he went on to conceal the body of Mr Taylor in a hollow grave in Finlandrigg Wood.”
He later added: “The prosecution do not accept the plea of manslaughter.
“This was a pre-meditated murder during which severe violence was used against Mr Taylor.”
Referring to Mr Taylor’s car, a blue Vauxhall Corsa, the barrister said: “What’s clear from the evidence is by the 18th October, the next morning, Jack Crawley was, without doubt, in possession of Paul Taylor’s car.
“At this stage it was on Green Lane, a short distance away from where Crawley lived. He made numerous attempts to sell that car to different people.”
The vehicle was found two days later crashed in Langwathby.
Meanwhile a second man, Marcus Goodfellow, 20, also from Carlisle, is also on trial accused of assisting an offender by helping Crawley to dispose of the car in question. He has pleaded not guilty.
Jack Crawley faces further charges of the attempted murder of a man in York in January this year, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
The case resumes tomorrow (Weds). It is expected to last over three weeks.
