Bobbi-Anne McLeod murder timeline: Cody Ackland got pizza after killing teen

Cody Ackland handing himself in at Charles Cross police station

Warning: This article contains distressing content

A sadistic killer has been jailed for life today for the murder of Plymouth teenager Bobbi-Anne McLeod.

What we now know is that Ackland lived a double life and had a fascination with serial killers.

After murdering Bobbi-Anne in a "brutal and frenzied" attack, he went for pizza with a friend, attended practice with his rock band, got a takeaway and drank into the early hours of the next day at a pub lock-in.

Friends recall him being "happier than usual".

Ackland was not known to police and there were no records of him on the police database.

Bobbi-Anne McLeod was at a bus stop close to her home when she was attacked

Bobbi-Anne was not known to Ackland, and she could not have known what fate was about to befall her as she waited at the bus stop near her home as he drove through Leigham in his Ford Fiesta that night.

Ackland assaulted Bobbi-Anne with a hammer at the Leigham bus stop, before abducting her to woods some 19 miles away, finishing the attack and then leaving her body in undergrowth in Bovisand.

He later threw away her clothes in an allotment and went out partying with friends.

Three days after the harrowing attack he handed himself in, confessing to the murder and telling police where he disposed of the teenager's body.

Below is a timeline of the events and movements of Ackland before, during and after the murder of Bobbi-Anne.

The days before the killing

In the days and weeks leading up to Bobbi-Anne's death, Ackland searched the internet for information about serial killers' crimes, their aftermath and the bodies left behind.

He kept a huge supply of grisly images on his phone - thousands of pictures of dismembered bodies, post-mortems and murder scenes.

Over the days and hours before the murder Ackland browsed for remote locations on Dartmoor and for potential weapons.

In the hours before the killing, he had searched sportswear website for baseball bats, ski masks, waterproof clothing and balaclavas.

Cody Ackland murdered Bobbi-Anne McLeod Credit: Devon and Cornwall Police

November 20: The day of the murder

It was a normal family day for Bobbi-Anne. The teenager left her Leighham home around 5.45pm to see her boyfriend, telling her father she loved him before heading to the nearby bus stop on Bampton Road.

Bobbi-Anne was last seen there between 6.05pm and 6.15pm, looking up the street, checking for the bus.

Ackland was out in his car at the time and at 6.55pm mobile phone data puts him in Leigham, close to Bobbi-Anne.

The bus stop in Leigham where Bobbi-Anne McLeod was attacked

6.55pm: A brutal attack

Ackland parked at the bottom of a bank behind the bus stop. He approached Bobbi-Anne from behind, before hitting her with a hammer.

In disturbing police interviews Ackland revealed the horrific circumstances of the night of the murder, for which he said he was "solely responsible".

According to his account, the initial attack at the bus stop "was meant to be it" and he went back to his Ford Fiesta.

However, Ackland then went back to the victim and kidnapped her into his car.

Cody Ackland's Ford Fiesta Credit: Devon and Cornwall Police

7.15pm: Bobbi-Anne's belongings are found

By this time, Bobbi-Anne's family had not heard from her and they were starting to worry.

Meanwhile, a local man stumbled across Bobbi-Anne's mobile phone and her AirPods case at the bus stop; he gave them to the bus driver who arrived at 7.23pm but they both assumed someone had lost them.

7:45pm: Ackland drives to Dartmoor

With Bobbi-Anne in the car, Ackland drove approximately 19 miles to Bellever Forest car park, arriving around 7.45pm.

He then attacked her repeatedly with a hammer outside the car before burning her handbag nearby along with other items from the vehicle.

9pm: Bobbi-Anne's loved-ones realise she's missing

Bobbi-Anne's boyfriend phoned the family home asking if she was still there. Her family called friends and her brother went out looking for her. Concern began to spread on social media and the next day members of the community and the police joined the search.

By this point, police had launched an extensive missing person search and made public appeals for help.

9.15pm: Ackland dumps Bobbi-Anne's body

Ackland then put Bobbi-Anne into his car boot and drove to Bovisand, pulling into alayby on a remote lane, before putting her body in undergrowth. He then went home to bed.

Bobbi-Anne's body was found in Bovisand

November 21: The day after the murder

A local schoolboy, who had seen Bobbi-Anne waiting for the bus the night before, found her AirPods on a path behind the bus stop on Sunday morning.

Ackland drove to Tamerton Foliot and threw the hammer into the River Tamar. It was never recovered despite a thorough police search.

He also threw a carrier bag containing his and Bobbi-Anne's blood-stained clothes into nearby allotments in Coombe Lane.

Ackland then went for pizza with a friend, attended practice with his rock band, got a takeaway and drank into the early hours of the next day with friends at a pub lock-in.

Friends recall him being "happier than usual".

November 22: Two days after Bobbi-Anne's murder

Ackland went to the cinema.

November 23: The confession

On Tuesday, Ackland left work at a valeting department of a Plymouth garage around noon and never returned.

He had sent strange messages to friends, family and members of his rock band saying he loved them.

At 1.30pm, he walked into Charles Cross police station in Plymouth saying he hadinformation about the Leigham disappearance. He was arrested on suspicion of murder.

Ackland asked for a map and directed officers to Bovisand, saying Bobbi-Anne could be found in the lane which led to the beach cafe. All focus turned to finding Bobbi-Anne in the hope she was still alive.

At around 3.45pm, detectives found her body within undergrowth around 15ft down a steep incline halfway down the densely wooded lane. She had died from multiple injuries to her head and face inflicted during a prolonged and frenzied attack.

April 5

Ackland pleaded guilty to murder at Plymouth Crown Court.

May 19

Ackland was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 30 years and 190 days. The judge told him he may never be released.