Man guilty of army veteran hammer attack murder

A man who attacked an army veteran he had met for sex and bludgeoned him with a hammer has been found guilty of murder.

Paul Taylor, 57, from Annan, Dumfriesshire, went missing last October, with his remains found in a shallow grave in woodland near Carlisle, Cumbria, in May.

Jack Crawley, 20, of Carlisle, was found guilty of attacking him and trying to burn his body following a trial at the city’s crown court.

He will be sentenced on Wednesday.

Crawley was also found guilty of the attempted murder of a man in York, who he met on the gay dating app Grindr and also attacked with a hammer, while he was on bail for killing Mr Taylor.

Meanwhile, a second man on trial, Marcus Goodfellow, 20, also of Carlisle, was found not guilty of assisting an offender by helping to dispose of Mr Taylor’s vehicle.

Crawley had been in touch with his victim for some time before the killing and they had previously met to have sex, the court heard.

Mr Taylor lived in Annan with his wife Maria.

The court heard his family was unaware of his sexual interest in men.

Crawley bludgeoned Mr Taylor in the head at least 10 times.

He then attempted to burn his victim’s body before burying him at Finlandrigg Woods near Carlisle.

The skeletal remains were found on 1 May, 195 days after he was reported missing by his wife.

Crawley, of Sheehan Crescent, had admitted manslaughter, but denied murder throughout the trial, which began on 1 October.

Det Supt Ian Hussey of Cumbria Police said he did not believe there were further victims, but the force was investigating and could not be “complacent”.

He added that the case had been “shocking” and thanked Mr Taylor’s family for their dignity during the investigation.

He said: “I know he [Paul Taylor] will be missed by many.”

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