John Pordage death: Bradley Blundell guilty of 'nice bum' shooting murder

Bradley Blundell denied murdering John Pordage but was found guilty by a jury

A man has been found guilty of murdering an electrician who was gunned down in a row that started over comments about a woman's "nice bum".

John Pordage, 34, died after being shot at a BP petrol station in Chelmsford, Essex, on 5 August last year.

Police hunted Bradley Blundell over the shooting. The teenager fled to France by hiding in the boot of a car, before eventually surrendering in Amsterdam.

Blundell, 19, denied murder but was convicted at Woolwich Crown Court.

Judge Charles Gratwicke told Blundell, of Cromwell Close, Boreham, he must expect a long life sentence for the killing.

John Pordage was shot dead at a petrol station in Chelmsford

The trial had heard Blundell and a youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, attacked Mr Pordage and a friend at the Baddow Road garage after one of them made an alleged comment about Ella Colgate, who was the driver of the car Blundell was in, having a "nice bum".

The court was told the boy struck Mr Pordage with a cosh before Blundell fired two shots, one of which missed.

His anger "spilled over" after he was called "the Milkybar Kid" during the exchange, the court heard.

Blundell said in evidence that his friend was the shooter, and that after the shooting his priority was to "get out of the area".

John Pordage was seen on CCTV walking past the car which had Blundell in

Blundell on the run

The court was told that later on the day as the murder, which took place in the early hours, Blundell and his girlfriend went to Selfridges, in Oxford Street, London, and then on to Stratford.

The pair then went back to Chelmsford before taking a taxi with two others to the Old Pottery Kiln pub in Witham. The four of them were then driven to Norwich, where they stayed in a B&B.

The other three returned to Chelmsford, but over the next few days Blundell was first driven to Enfield, then taken to a ferry port in the boot of a car.

He was then driven from a French port to Germany on 8 August, and for the next eight months he lived in group accommodation in the country, then mainland Spain, and then Amsterdam, where he surrendered to police on 31 March.

The shooting took place at a BP garage on Baddow Road

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Colgate, 18, of Aldridge Close, Chelmsford, cried as she was also found guilty of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Blundell was also found guilty of the same charge.

John Pordage's mother Sue Wilson said she was "elated that justice has been done for John".

She added: "I am also sad. There are so many mixed emotions. I am not sad for them because they deserve all they get."

Of Blundell she said: "I really don't care what happens to him as long as he stays in prison."

Judge Gratwicke adjourned sentencing and added: "I would like to express my sympathy to the Pordage family and at the same time congratulate then on the dignity they have shown throughout this trial."