A "disturbed" murderer, who expressed a desire to kill just days before taking the life of a sex worker and burning her body in a North Hertfordshire car park, has been jailed for life.
Robert Brown, 38, of Hitchin Road in Luton, killed Victoria Greenwood last November, and was sentenced to life behind bars at Luton Crown Court yesterday (June 7). He must also serve a minimum of 20 years.
The court heard that Victoria’s body was discovered in a remote car park in Hertfordshire on November 14 - three days after she was reported missing - when emergency services were called to reports of a fire.
After launching a murder investigation, detectives from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit gathered considerable CCTV, forensic and phone evidence linking Brown to her death.
CCTV footage captured Brown entering his flat with sex worker Victoria in the early hours of November 10, and later showed her attempt to escape before Brown pulled her back inside.
The same CCTV camera recorded him transporting a large furniture unit, containing Victoria’s body, to his car two days later, with further footage showing Brown getting a takeaway from a chicken shop just a couple of hours after he had disposed of her body.
After he was arrested, officers searched his property and found traces of the victim’s blood in the flat.
During the trial, the court heard how Brown had sent text messages in the week leading up to the murder referencing a number of dark subjects, including demeaning sexual acts and death.
He also asked a friend, if they had "ever wanted to kill a person?", before admitting "I want to kill people".
During sentencing, Judge John Hillen described Brown as a "proven liar and a manipulator" and noted that his failure to come clean demonstrated "a complete lack of remorse, and a lack of empathy for the victim and her family and friends".
"This is truly a horrific case which has sadly seen a mother, a daughter and a sister have her life taken from her," said Detective Inspector Justine Jenkins, who led the investigation.
"Brown exhibited a truly disturbing progression of behaviour, which was further exacerbated by the extreme lengths he went to cover up his crime and avoid accountability.
"No woman deserves to feel unsafe, and we are dedicated to ensuring that anyone who targets vulnerable people is served justice and held accountable for their actions.
"As a force we will continue to advocate for the safety of women and girls, by providing a safe space to report and access support."
Detective Sergeant Bianca Lazar, Bedfordshire Police’s sex work portfolio lead, added: "This case highlights the very real dangers faced by sex workers, who are often at heightened risk due to the environments they work in.
"As a force we aim to provide a safe place for all our communities irrespective of who the individual is, regardless of their background or profession within their private life.
"We will continue to relentlessly pursue perpetrators and those who exploit vulnerable situations, carrying out victim and context led investigations.
"We also have a clear focus on supporting those within the industry, and through partners and specialist teams, we are working to create a safe space and help break down barriers when it comes to reporting.
"It is never too late to report, and support is always available. We are here and we will listen to you."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here