Paul Taylor murder-accused describes burning and trying to dismember Scots Army veteran's body

Jack Crawley admits manslaughter following the death of Mr Taylor last October, but denies murdering him.

The man accused of murdering Paul Taylor has described burning and then trying to dismember the Scots Army veteran’s body after he died when a late night car-jacking went wrong. Jack Crawley arranged to meet married dad-of-two Mr Taylor, 56, in a secluded location near Carlisle late on October 17 last year.

Crawley, aged 19 at the time, had for several years sold drugs to, and on occasion engaged in sexual activity with, Mr Taylor. Now aged 20, Crawley admits manslaughter.

He is on trial at Carlisle Crown Court and denies murdering Mr Taylor, whose skeletal remains were found in woodland west of the city on May 1 — 195 days after he was reported missing by wife, Maria.

A pathologist concluded Mr Taylor’s skull was bludgeoned at least 10 times and that trauma injuries to his left elbow may have been caused as the hospital catering manager tried to defend himself.

As he gave evidence to jurors, Crawley spoke of falling in with the wrong school crowd and dealing drugs aged just 13. By 15 he had accrued a £5,000-plus debt and was ordered by criminals to commit offences which included thefts of cash and drugs from other crooks — “taxing” — and stealing cars.

Asked about his past contact with Mr Taylor, Crawley said: “I’m bi-curious, bisexual in my orientation. He had asked me if I wanted to engage in sexual activity with him.”

In October, 2023, Crawley was ordered to break into and steal from a cannabis farm, and told to pinch a vehicle. During the same period Mr Taylor was persistently messaging him, asking to meet. “That’s when I got the idea to take his car,” said Crawley.

Late on October 17, the pair met in darkness at Prior Rigg Lane, on Carlisle’s outskirts. Crawley — equipped with “tools and fuel” for the separate taxing job — said: “I messaged him, ‘do you want some bud and some possible sexual activity?’ I can’t remember the exact content of the message.”

Of their meeting, Crawley continued: “He was next to his car, walking towards me. He was raising his hand to greet me. I punched him in the face. He fell to the ground.”

Crawley said he tried to run, was grabbed by Mr Taylor and struck him again with his left arm. “He fell,” said Crawley, who spoke of blood “streaming” from Mr Taylor’s head. “He sort of tripped over his own feet and fell on the side of the car. He then bounced on to the [concrete] floor. He started making snoring noises.

“I sort of froze. I was looking to the sky. I looked back down and he wasn’t making any noise any more.” Crawley also said: “I checked his pulse. He didn’t have a pulse. I thought he was dead.”

He “panicked” and ran to his Sheehan Crescent home in Carlisle. “I didn’t know what to do,” said Crawley. “I went back. I got into his car and started driving.“ Without his glasses, Crawley couldn’t see and drove in circles before turning into woodland he knew from childhood visits.

“I wanted to get rid of his body. I was scared,” said Crawley, who was carrying charcoal and petrol. “I set his body on fire. I thought it would disappear.” When it did not, he took out a tool.

“I hit his body with the mallet hammer. I thought his body would crumble,” said Crawley. “It wasn’t doing anything. It didn’t work.” When the fire was out, Crawley dragged the body into a bushy area, telling police months later where it could be found.

“Had you, when Mr Taylor was alive, used any sort of weapon upon him?” asked defence barrister Toby Hedworth KC. “No,” replied Crawley. “Had Mr Taylor done anything to harm you at all?” added Mr Hedworth. “No,” responded Crawley.

Crawley further denies attempting murder a second man with a claw hammer during a sexual encounter near York on January 5 this year after skipping police bail. Asked whether had a similar claw hammer during his meeting with Mr Taylor, Crawley said “no”.

Asked whether he had intended to kill Mr Taylor — and cause him really serious bodily injury, Crawley also replied: “No.” Asked whether he had tried to murder the man near York, Crawley told jurors: “He attacked me and I was acting in self-defence.”

The trial continues.

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