Coventry triple murderer Anthony Russell sentenced to whole-life jail order

A heroin user who murdered a mother and son and a pregnant woman in a seven-day killing spree has been sentenced to a whole-life jail term.

Anthony Russell, from Coventry, murdered Julie Williams and her son David Williams, and Nicole McGregor in October 2020.

Russell was also sentenced to 12 years for the rape of Ms McGregor during a hearing at Warwick Crown Court on Friday.

He was on the run until October 30 and the manhunt that led to his arrest was one of the largest in recent years.

After a retrial at Warwick Crown Court, Russell was also found guilty of raping Ms McGregor, whom he had assaulted while she was five months pregnant.

Sentencing the 39-year-old in his absence on Friday, Mr Justice Wall told the killer: "I have no doubt that this is a case which falls fairly and squarely within the description of being exceptionally serious."

Watch as police swoop to arrest triple-killer Anthony Russell as he sleeps in a car he had stolen

Mr Justice Wall adds: "You are a man prepared to use very significant violence on anyone.

"You are exceptionally dangerous to those who know you, and those who do not."

"You will remain in custody for the rest or your life and will never be eligible to apply to the Parole Board for your release."

Victim impact statements were read to the court by prosecutor Zoe Johnson QCfrom Ms McGregor's mother, Maggie, and Ms Williams' sister, Carol.

In the statement from Ms McGregor's mother, she said: "She was caring, she waskind and behind her barriers, she had a heart of gold.

"Losing Nicole in the way we did just destroyed us as a family."

Russell assaulted Ms McGregor hours after she had shown him a picture of her baby scan.

Russell then said to Ms McGregor's partner "I bet you can't wait for it to be born", in the hours after she disappeared - knowing he had raped and killed her, the court heard.

Moving on to the statement made by Ms Williams' sister, she said: "Not only was our dear, sweet, caring, loving Julie taken from us, but also our dear loving nephew, David.

"Sentencing will not bring our family back but we hope it will stop the defendant from committing these evil crimes on any more families."

It was revealed that Russell strangled Mr Williams with a lanyard and left the body under his bed where it was found by police five days later, covered in 87 injuries.

Afterwards, he claimed he had killed a man who "had sex with his girlfriend".

The prosecutors also said that Russell strangled Mr Williams' mother in a "violent and sustained attack" in which she was hit five times on the head and neck.

She had 113 separate injuries, and is believed to have been killed because she found out Russell had murdered her son.

Timeline of Russell's crimes:

• 23 October 2020

Julie Williams, 58, phoned West Midlands Police to report that her son David Williams, 31, had not been seen since 21 October.

• 25 October 2020

West Midlands Police were called by Ms Williams' sister to report she was now also missing.

Police officers forced their way into her house and found her dead on the living room floor.

• 26 October 2020

After the discovery of Ms Williams' body, Russell fled Coventry with money and a mobile phone he had robbed from a 78-year-old man the day before.

Later on that day, officers raid Russell's home in Riley Square, Coventry, after a tip-off that he had confessed to killing Ms Williams and her son Mr Williams.

When arriving at the home, officers found David’s body hidden under a bed.

He had suffered multiple injuries.

He then used public transport, travelled to Leamington Spa arriving in the town at approximately 2.45pm.

It was there that he murdered and raped his final victim, 18 weeks pregnant, 31-year-old Nicole McGregor, after luring her to Newbold Comyn with the promise of drugs.

Ms McGregor's body was found by police search teams in an area of dense undergrowth near to the River Leam on October 29, 202

Her body was covered in scratches and bruises having been dragged through the woodland by Russell.

The killer was arrested on October 30 after police spotted the stolen Ford C-Max parked on a road near Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, and found Russell on the back seat.

While being booked into custody, he told officers: "I admit it, I did it."

For the full timeline into Anthony Russell's seven days of murders in Coventry and Leamington click here

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