Paul Taylor murder: Trial jury finds man who met Annan married dad-of-two for sex guilty

A hospital security guard is facing a life prison term for murdering Army veteran Paul Taylor and trying to kill another man with a similar weapon.

Married dad-of-two Mr Taylor was reported missing by his wife, Maria, on 18 October last year. She had seen him the previous evening “laughing away” watching television at their family home in Annan, Dumfriesshire.

Later that night, Mr Taylor left their address for what became a tragic fatal meeting with teenager Jack Crawley, then aged 19, at a secluded spot on the outskirts of Carlisle.

Mr Taylor was an exemplary catering manager at the city’s Cumberland Infirmary, where Crawley also worked, and described as a “workaholic”.

Carlisle Crown Court heard how Mr Taylor met men for sex and hid his double life from loved ones. He had both bought cannabis and previously engaged in sexual activity with Crawley, now 20, the pair communicating via dating app Grindr.

After Mr Taylor’s disappearance, a high-profile missing person appeal and then a murder probe were launched by detectives. On 1 May, Crawley disclosed to police that his body would be found at the wildlife watcher’s haven of Finglandrigg Wood, near Carlisle.

Officers found skeletal remains. His corpse had been burned and then dragged into a shallow hollow by Crawley, who used branches and sticks to hide them from view.

A pathologist concluded there were at least 10 powerful blows delivered to Mr Taylor’s face and head which, a prosecutor said, had been “completely smashed in”.

So small were some bone fragments that they could not be used in a painstaking reconstruction of the skull which was carried out by forensic experts. Some pieces, including a large section of cranium, were never found.

Further trauma injuries to Mr Taylor’s elbow suggested he may have tried to defend himself from attack. The pathologist concluded his injuries could have been caused by a claw hammer.

After Mr Taylor’s death, Crawley made failed attempts to sell his Vauxhall Corsa, which he later crashed and abandoned in the village of Langwathby, near Penrith, on the morning of 19 October.

Following his arrest by police, fright masks, rope, duct tape and cable ties were found in the bedroom of Crawley’s Sheehan Crescent home in Carlisle.

Detectives found Crawley had listened to a song called Romantic Homicide five times in the hours before he killed Mr Taylor. A download of Crawley’s phone showed captured images of bug sweepers and signal blockers while his own device was switched on to incognito mode.

“The prosecution case is that this was a premeditated murder,” prosecutor David McLachlan KC had told a Carlisle Crown Court jury, adding “that Jack Crawley had murder on his mind and carried out his plan by killing Paul Taylor”.

Crawley admitted manslaughter and denied murder, but was convicted, unanimously, by the jury of six men and six women on Monday (21 October).

His claims of a carjacking gone wrong and trying to break up Mr Taylor’s body with a mallet after death and burning were dismissed by forensic evidence. He denied prosecution suggestions that he had a fascination with serial killers.

After his arrest in November on suspicion of murder and release from custody, Crawley later skipped bail from Carlisle.

He was seen around New Year in Penrith, disguised and wearing what one train station worker described as an “obviously fake” Hagrid-style beard.

He travelled around Scotland before carrying out another attack in darkness on the outskirts of York on 5 January. That victim was another man aged in his 50s.

The pair had chatted on dating app Grindr for the first time earlier that day, and arranged to meet in York, just hours after Crawley had bought a claw hammer from a city DIY shop.

That second victim told a jury how Crawley struck him three times with a hammer during their intimate encounter. “He didn’t say anything,” he replied when asked about Crawley’s demeanour. “It was all very, very quick. He just basically wanted to hurt me. He was aggressive.”

He was injured but managed to wrestle the weapon from Crawley, who ran off and was later arrested in Bath.

Crawley denied attempting to murder that man but was convicted, unanimously, on that charge by jurors.

As the verdicts were announced, Crawley showed no emotion in the court dock.

Mr Justice Goose told jurors he agreed with their verdicts, and said he would sentence Crawley later this week.

“You have now been convicted of the counts as the jury have found, and you are to be sentenced on Wednesday at 11 o’clock," he said. "You will be brought to court for that purpose.”

Crawley remains remanded in custody.

A second man on trial, 20-year-old Marcus Goodfellow, of Greystone Road, Carlisle, was acquitted of helping Crawley dispose of the Corsa.

In a statement issued after the verdict, the family of Mr Taylor said: “Our lives and world were completely torn apart on the 18 Oct 2023 with the murder of Paul. To us he was a husband and a dad, gentle and loving.

“For many years Paul worked to protect his country giving up time being a husband and father, now was the time for us to be that family unit and we grieve the loss of that and of our future.

“Losing Paul in these circumstances and the torment and hurt this has caused has been horrendous and indescribable.

“Paul will be dearly missed and he will remain in our thoughts forever.”

Detective Superintendent Ian Hussey was the senior investigating officer (SIO) in the investigation. Speaking after the verdict he said: “Paul was tragically killed after suffering an assault at the hands of Jack Crawley. He was a much-loved father, husband, brother and friend who I know will be missed by many.

“Crawley refused to admit to the brutal murder of Paul instead pleading guilty to manslaughter claiming his death was the result of a car theft gone wrong, however after a jury heard the evidence gathered against him, they found him guilty of murder."

He added his thanks to the jury, CPS and prosecuting counsel as well as staff and officers at Cumbria Police and North Yorkshire Police.

Det Supt Hussey continued: “Finally, I would like to pay tribute to Paul’s family. They have been dignified throughout the course of the investigation and our thoughts remain with them all.

“We know that no outcome at court will ever serve as comfort to Paul’s family and friends, but I do hope that the verdict today will offer a small amount of closure for them, knowing that we have brought Crawley to justice.”

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