Killer Joanna Dennehy’s accomplices convicted
Two men who helped sadistic triple murderer Joanna Dennehy are convicted of offences related to her killing spree, which ended with three bodies being dumped in ditches.
Gary Stretch (left above) and Leslie Layton (right) were “manipulated” by psychopath Dennehy (centre), who stabbed to death Lukasz Slaboszewski, 31, Kevin Lee, 48, and John Chapman, 56, in the Peterborough area over a 10-day period.
Stretch, 47, was found guilty at Cambridge crown court of the attempted murder of dog walker Robin Bereza, while Layton, 36, was convicted of preventing the lawful burial of two murder victims.
Prosecutors said the men, who had already been found guilty of other offences relating to Dennehy’s attacks in March 2013, “revelled in bringing suffering and misery upon their victims and showed no remorse for their atrocious acts”.
Dennehy, 31, had previously pleaded guilty to the killings, as well as admitting the attempted murders of Mr Bereza and another dog walker, John Rogers, and preventing the lawful burial of her victims.
All three will be sentenced at a later date, along with a third man, Robert Moore, 55, who previously admitted assisting an offender.
Random stabbings
After the three murders, Dennehy and Stretch drove to Hereford, where she randomly stabbed the two dog walkers. They both survived, despite suffering critical injuries.
Detective Chief Inspector Martin Brunning, who led the investigation, said: “Joanna Dennehy is a sadistic serial killer with a fearsome personality. She manipulated these men into doing things she wanted. I am relieved she is facing a substantial period of time behind bars.”
On Monday, jurors found Stretch guilty of preventing the lawful burial of a body and the attempted murder of Mr Rogers. Layton was also found guilty of perverting the course of justice.
Killing ‘for fun’
During the trial, prosecutors said Dennehy “cast a spell” over her accomplices and some of her victims as she killed “for fun”.
Dennehy, from Peterborough, was likened to “Uma Thurman from Kill Bill and the woman from the Terminator” by married father-of-two Mr Lee shortly before his death. Another victim, Mr Chapman, dubbed her the “man woman” because of her intimidating nature.
All of the murder victims died from multiple stab injuries, including wounds to the heart.