Woman jailed for murdering man who loved her

Lauren Harris stabbed David Mark Wilcox to death

A 29-year-old woman who stabbed to death a man who "loved and supported" her because he ran out of money has been jailed for at least 25 years.

Lauren Harris, of no fixed address, murdered David Mark Wilcox at his flat with accomplice David Webster, who bludgeoned him with a vodka bottle.

Webster, 43, of Lacey Street, Widnes, Cheshire, was jailed for at least 23 years after the pair were convicted last week.

Mr Justice Pepperall told Harris at Mold Crown Court the killing of the 65-year-old, who "had loved and supported you,” was "brutal and senseless".

A third man, Thomas Whitely, 33, of Colwyn Bay, had also been charged with murder but was cleared.

The jury heard that North Wales Police went to a property in Bay View Road, near Colwyn Bay town centre, in Conwy county, where Mr Wilcox was found stabbed and battered to death in an armchair.

He had been punched, kicked and stamped on and had broken ribs.

During sentencing Mr Justice Pepperall said: "I detect no remorse."

At one point as she was led into the dock Harris sang Shania Twain's Man! I Feel Like a Woman!

Andrew Ford KC, prosecuting, told jurors she had previous convictions for assault, including an unlawful wounding in 2022 in which a knife was used against a partner in a block of flats in Old Colwyn.

CCTV footage was played to the court and footage was also played of her assaulting men in the centre of Wrexham and Colwyn Bay.

Mr Ford said Harris also had a string of convictions for theft.

Harris had used Mr Wilcox’s bank cards at two ATMs in a bid to withdraw cash for drugs.

David Webster has been jailed for at least 23 years

The judge said the murder may have happened out of anger that the money had dried up. Harris had crashed and abandoned Mr Wilcox’s car soon after the murder.

The court heard Harris took a “leading” role.

But the judge told Webster, who had a history of violence: "You were a willing accomplice in this brutal crime. It was you who bludgeoned your victim with a vodka bottle."

Mr Justice Pepperall said Webster lied about how he had Mr Wilcox’s watches.

"The appalling truth is you stole one of the watches from a dying man’s wrist," he said.

The court heard Mr Wilcox had moved to support Harris as he sought to turn her life around, but he started to struggle with his finances.

In the days before he was killed she began a relationship with Webster.

The court heard they spent money on drugs.

“This was a sustained and vicious attack in which you showed Mr Wilcox no mercy,” the judge said.

"From his defensive injuries it was clear the victim suffered greatly.”

Dean Quick of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Mr Wilcox was stabbed in his own home, suffering injuries that proved to be fatal.

“The CPS placed all the evidence before the jury who have returned guilty verdicts for Harris and Webster.

“Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Mr Wilcox who have had to deal with a terrible loss.”

Supt Sarah-Jayne Williams of North Wales Police called the killing “violent and senseless".

“Harris and Webster callously murdered Mark in his own home in a sustained attack, where he should have been safe," she said.