Accused 'burned corpse after botched carjacking'

Paul Taylor's body was found in May after he went missing in October 2023

A man accused of murder has described burning and then trying to dismember the victim's body, claiming the death was the result of a carjacking gone wrong.

Jack Crawley, 20, of Carlisle, admits the manslaughter of army veteran Paul Taylor but denies his murder.

Appearing at Carlisle Crown Court, Crawley said he felt pressured by drug debts to steal a car and decided to target Mr Taylor, whom he had previously sold drugs to and had sexual relations with.

Crawley said Mr Taylor, from Annan in Dumfries and Galloway, had "tripped over his own feet" after being hit and bashed his head.

Mr Taylor's skeletal remains were found in woodland near Carlisle on 1 May, 195 days after he was reported missing by his wife.

A pathologist concluded his skull was bludgeoned at least 10 times and that trauma injuries to his left elbow may have occurred as the hospital catering manager tried to defend himself.

'Want some bud?'

Giving evidence to jurors, Crawley spoke of falling in with the wrong school crowd and dealing drugs aged just 13.

By 15, he said he had accrued more than £5,000 of debt and was ordered by criminals to commit offences which included stealing cash, drugs and cars.

In October 2023, Crawley said he was ordered to break into and steal from a cannabis farm and told to steal a vehicle.

During the same period Mr Taylor was persistently messaging him, asking to meet, he said.

"That’s when I got the idea to take his car," Crawley told the court.

The pair met in a secluded location on the outskirts of Carlisle late on 17 October.

Crawley said: "I messaged him: 'Do you want some bud and some possible sexual activity?' I can't remember the exact content of the message."

Of their meeting, Crawley said: "I punched him in the face. He fell to the ground."

The accused said he tried to run, but was grabbed by Mr Taylor and he struck him again with his left arm.

"He sort of tripped over his own feet and fell on the side of the car," Crawley said.

"He then bounced on to the [concrete] floor."

'Mallet hammer'

Crawley described checking Mr Taylor's pulse, finding he had none, and running back home.

"I didn’t know what to do," Crawley said. "I went back. I got into his car and started driving."

Without his glasses, Crawley said he could not see and drove in circles before turning into woodland he knew from childhood visits.

"I set his body on fire. I thought it would disappear," he said.

"I hit his body with the mallet hammer. I thought his body would crumble."

When the fire was out, Crawley dragged the body into a bushy area, telling police months later where it could be found.

Crawley further denies attempting to murder a second man with a claw hammer during a sexual encounter near York on 5 January, after skipping police bail.

When asked whether he had a similar claw hammer during his meeting with Mr Taylor, Crawley said "no".

The trial continues.