Burnley park murder worst detective has seen in 23 year career (From This Is Lancashire)

Burnley park murder worst detective has seen in 23 year career

10:10am Wednesday 23rd December 2009

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TWO men face life sentences after carrying out what a senior detective called the ‘most horrific’ murder he has ever worked on.

Following a two-week trial, Anthony Wood, 21, was yesterday found guilty of murdering teenager Louise Evans, in Burnley’s Towneley Park, last July.

Matthew Maw, 19, had already admitted killing Louise, a former Accrington and Rossendale College and Haslingden High School pupil.

Louise died after being repeatedly stabbed with a knife and beaten with a large piece of wood in a secluded wooded area behind Towneley Hall.

She was stabbed so severely that the blade of the knife snapped off and became embedded in her chest.

Throughout the trial it was accepted that Wood did not inflict any physical injuries on Louise.

But following more than nine hours of deliberation, a jury found him guilty of murder on the basis that he planned and encouraged the fatal attack which was carried out by Maw.

Speaking after Wood’s conviction, Det Insp Paul Broxson, welcomed the verdict and described both Maw and Wood as ‘very dangerous’ individuals.

Louise’s ‘devastated’ parents said they hoped lessons would be learned by the social and caring services involved in louise’s case to prevent another tragedy in the future.

During the trial, Preston Crown Court heard how Louise, Wood and Maw, were living at the Elizabeth Street Project hostel, Burnley, at the time she was murdered.

They were part of a group that had gone to Towneley Park to stay out for the night on July 20 along with other residents at the hostel.

Wood admitted that he had argued with the victim early in the evening after he refused to buy alcohol for her.

He told the court that when they returned to the hostel at around 11pm, he packed two knives in his bag, including the one that was later used to stab Louise. However, he said he took the knife to cut up food he had taken.

Witnesses told the court Wood said he wanted to kill Louise because she was ‘doing his head in’ by ‘bouncing around’ and being loud.

After Louise was killed Maw was arrested at his father’s house in Burnley while Wood was caught by officers when he returned to the hostel.

Following the verdict Det Insp Paul Broxson, of Lancashire Police, said: “I have 23 years of service and this was by far the most horrific incident I have had to deal with.

“I have never seen such injuries inflicted on a human being.

“For Maw and Wood I have nothing but contempt. They are both very dangerous individuals.”

Louise attended Park High School in Colne until she was 14 when she moved to Haslingden.

The court heard how Louise, who had Asperger’s syndrome, was placed in the hostel by Lancashire County Council.

Her parents, Loraine and Jeff Evans, said: “The judicial system has done its work and we trust the sentences will reflect the horrendous nature of the crime and its impact on our family and all those involved. It gives us no comfort to see further young lives ruined by this incident.

“It is our sincere hope that the various social and caring services involved in Louise’s care prior to her death will absorb and learn very serious lessons and implement improvements that may prevent similar tragic circumstances developing in the future.”

“This has been devastating to our family.”

Maw and Wood will be sentenced on January 22.

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