Worcester River Severn killer given hospital order

Charles Byrne strangled and stabbed Christina Rowe in February 2021

A killer who strangled his ex-girlfriend and tried to murder her young daughter has been given a life sentence and a hospital order.

Charles Byrne killed Christina Rowe at her home due to his delusional belief she was a "transgender paedophile", Worcester Crown Court heard.

He then tried to murder her daughter after she woke to her mother's screams.

Byrne was told he would be sent back to a high-security hospital for treatment for his paranoid schizophrenia.

He had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility and attempted murder.

The 25-year-old, formerly of Waterworks Road, Worcester, strangled and fatally stabbed 28-year-old Ms Rowe between 9 and 10 February 2021.

His young victim, whose name cannot be published for legal reasons, woke and saw her mother's body stuffed in a suitcase, the court heard.

Byrne tried to murder the girl by strangling her and smashing her head against the floor several times.

While she was unconscious, he left the property by car, taking the suitcase containing her mother's body, weighed down with bricks, and dumped it in the River Severn.

The killer returned to the house with a shovel intending to bury the girl, the court was told, but she had regained consciousness and pretended to be asleep.

Christina Rowe's body was recovered from the River Severn in Worcester

The judge was told Byrne "mercifully" decided not to kill the child when he re-entered the property and had said to himself he would "rather go to jail".

Mr Justice Pepperall told the defendant the crimes were "appalling offences of the upmost gravity" and he had no doubt Byrne was "a very dangerous man".

Having been sent back to Ashworth high-security hospital, he was told he would be transferred to prison, if he recovered, to serve his sentence, with a minimum term of 16 years.

Ms Rowe's sister Stephanie said in a victim impact statement that "in time I will heal, but not any time soon", adding "I just want to wake up and end this nightmare".