Teen guilty of Shepshed murder

An 18-year-old who stood trial accused of the murder of a man from Shepshed has been found guilty.

Two men have been convicted of the murder of Tim Smith who was killed in Shepshed earlier this year.

20-year-old Mark Anthony Law of Sandringham Rise, Shepshed pleaded guilty to murder on Friday 8 September 2017 at Leicester Crown Court.

His co-accused 18-year-old Mason Casey of Ludlow Place, Shepshed stood trial at Leicester Crown Court and was found guilty of murder. 

They are due to be sentenced at a later date.

Police were called shortly before 9pm on Thursday 16 March by the ambulance service who had attended the report of a road traffic collision in Gelders Hall Road.

A vehicle had been found which had seemingly collided with a wall on the entrance to an industrial estate. The driver of the vehicle, 45-year-old Tim, was unresponsive and following examination he was found to be suffering from injuries which were not consistent with a collision.

He died at the scene and a post mortem examination later revealed he died of a stab wound to the heart.

Detectives managed to establish from examining Tim’s mobile phone and extensive CCTV work, he had pre-arranged to meet Law after chatting on a social network site and picked him up near to his home address at around 8.30pm that evening. Casey also joined them in the car.

It was later discovered that Tim drove to the industrial estate and parked the car. It was while he was in the car with Law, he was stabbed.

Both men fled the scene on foot leaving Tim fatally injured. He managed to reverse the car and attempted to drive out of the car park, but collided with a wall at the entrance and collapsed.

He was found by a member of staff at one of the nearby premises who had come outside after he had heard the collision.

Detective Inspector Simon Shuttleworth, who led the investigation said: “Today’s result and Law’s guilty plea is testament to the dedication and commitment of the investigation team whose determination to bring these men to justice never faltered.

“Tim’s family have conducted themselves with the utmost dignity throughout the course of the investigation and subsequent trial and I hope today’s convictions help them find some closure following his tragic death.”

Tim's father has today released a statement on behalf of the family, reflecting on the "pointless" death of his son. Read it here.