Paul Taylor murder trial hears accused denied having obsession with serial killers

Jack Crawley was question at Carlisle Crown Court about the serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

A young security guard on trial over the murder of Scots dad Paul Taylor rubbished suggestions he was fascinated by serial killers.

Jack Crawley, 20, admits the manslaughter of married dad-of-two Paul Taylor. His skeletal remains were found in a woodland hollow many months after he went missing from his Annan home last October.

Forensic experts found his skull was bludgeoned at least 10 times. There were “defence”-type injuries to his elbow, a pathologist suggested. His body was burned before being dragged into bushes.

Crawley is on trial. He denies murdering hospital catering manager Mr Taylor, 56, who hid sexual interest in men from his family.

Carlisle Crown Court has heard drug dealer Crawley supplied cannabis to Mr Taylor and engaged in sexual activity with him months before they met at a secluded site late on October 17.

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Crawley’s plan, he told jurors, was to steal Mr Taylor’s Vauxhall Corsa and drive it to illegal jobs while in debt to gang members.

Crawley twice punched Mr Taylor who, he said, hit his head and died at the scene. He described hauling his body into a boot and driving to woodland in a panic, attempting to burn and then hit the corpse with a mallet to make “crumble” and “disappear”.

During cross-examination today, Crawley was shown a picture of Mr Taylor’s reconstructed skull — compiled by experts — showing extensive damage.

“You smashed his head in, Mr Crawley; striking him, at least 10 times as shown by the image, didn’t you?” said prosecutor David McLachlan KC.

“Afterwards, in a panic, yes,” said Crawley. “But not beforehand. I couldn’t do that to someone.”

Mr McLachlan said: “He put his hands up to defend himself. You just kept hitting.”

Crawley replied: “When I put him in the boot, his arm’s hanging out. I closed the boot and it hit down on his elbow. It wasn’t a defensive injury.”

"When is the first time you mentioned that?” asked Mr McLachlan. Crawley responded: “Now.”

Jurors have heard Crawley tried to sell Mr Taylor’s blood-stained Corsa hours later before driving it to a north Cumbria village where it was crashed by him and abandoned. Crawley and a second man — 20-year-old Marcus Goodfellow, of Carlisle — were collected and transported back to Carlisle.

During that journey, it is alleged Crawley said “someone has died tonight…someone worse than Jeffrey Dahmer”, adding it would be “a better world without him”. Crawley told jurors he instead said: “A man has died because of drug dealers as bad as Jeffrey Dahmer. It was terrible. It would be good if they were gone. It would be a better world without them they are a bunch of rats.”

“What sort of people did Jeffrey Dahmer kill?" Mr McLachlan asked Crawley.

“Gay people,” replied Crawley, who denied knowing Mr Taylor’s real name or age before his death.

Mr McLachlan also asked: “Do you have a fascination with serial killers…a fascination with murder…a fascination with Jeffrey Dahmer?” Each time, Crawley answered: “No.”

Mr McLachlan asked: “Did you think he (Mr Taylor) was worse than Jeffrey Dahmer?”

In response, Crawley said: “Finding out what I have found out about Mr Taylor, he is a family man who works in a hospital. How was he as bad as Jeffrey Dahmer?” He added: “It’s not a better world without him. Lots of people have been hurt because of this.”

Crawley told jurors that charcoal, fuel and hammer he used at the woods were previously bought with other criminal jobs in mind.

Crawley admitted listening to song Romantic Homicide five times before meeting Mr Taylor. “In the back of my mind I killed young I didn’t even regret it. I can’t believe I said it but it’s true. I hate you,” is one lyric. Crawley denied the prosecutor’s suggestion he had “murder” on his mind, adding: “I don’t see the relevance of it. It’s just music.”

The death of Mr Taylor, he told jurors, was “etched into my head”.

Crawley, of Sheehan Crescent, Carlisle, also denies attempting to murder a man aged in his 50s near York on 5th January. Goodfellow denies assisting an offender. The trial continues.

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