Man Sentenced For Murder Of Megan Peat

7 September 2012, 11:23 | Updated: 7 September 2012, 14:13

A promising footballer who stabbed his 15 year old girlfriend more than 60 times after they argued about his jealous streak has been sentenced to life imprisonment.

Andrew Hall, 18, who pleaded guilty to the murder of gregarious school girl Megan Peat, was told he must serve a minimum term of 10 years.

Megan had returned to her mother's home in Westoning, Bedfordshire after arguing with Hall, who had been her boyfriend for about ten months. Her mother thought she was going to split up with him.

But she left the home to find him again to discuss their problems without telling her mother.

She met up with him and his friends at the White Hart pub in Ampthill, Bedfordshire around midnight on June 9 this year.

Prosecutor Iain Wicks told Luton Crown Court: "The atmosphere had appeared to have thawed somewhat and they decided to leave the pub ahead of the rest of the group. There was nothing untoward and no cause for concern at that stage. They were last seen walking hand in hand with the keys to a friend's house. The next time the defendant was seen was outside the pub at 1.30 am, bloodstained and disheveled. It was the last time Megan was seen alive," said the prosecutor.

Hall, who was on the brink of being signed professionally for Stoke City, and was their Player of the Year in the Academy, told doormen at the pub: "I have killed someone. Oh my God, what have I done? I really, really loved her."

His friend, Haydn Edwins, who was still drinking at the pub, then went with police to his home in Ailesbury Road, Ampthill, where the shocking discovery was made.

Mr. Wicks said: "Megan was lying in a large pool of blood and was already lifeless. There were a very large number of stab wounds, at least 60 in total. They were mainly to her head, neck and upper chest, with defence wounds on her arms."

He said her jugular vein had been severed and she was pronounced dead at the scene from the wounds and loss of blood.

Meanwhile Hall had surgery in hospital for a serious knife wound to his left arm and could not be interviewed. When he was quizzed by police he remained silent.

Hall, from Robin Close, Flitwick stood in the dock wearing a black suit and black tie as Judge Richard Foster told him; "Her young life was brought to an abrupt end at your hands. Only you know precisely why you did what you did or what was the catalyst. But you were jealous of her innocent friendships with others. There is evidence from text messages of a developing row and with a sense of foreboding she had sent a text to a friend saying 'I'm scared'. By the early hours you were alone with her at a mutual friend's house, where this vicious and relentless attack took place, stabbing her some 60 times. There was clearly an intent to kill with an attack of such ferocity but I accept it was not premeditated. She was a bright, normal, gregarious girl with her whole life ahead of her. You have cruelly taken away that life. She will never see exam results, be a bridesmaid or celebrate an 18th birthday."

Mr. Wicks said Megan had attended Harlington Upper School and had been doing work experience at a pre-school. She was gregarious and popular.

"Outwardly their relationship was good but it had a dark side. she complained to her mother and a number of friends about his jealous behaviour."

The argument that brewed that night could be followed by text messages between them. She wanted to discuss their problems but he wanted to leave it until Monday.

In a message to a friend she said; 'I'm scared, I can't do this any more' with a picture of a crying face.

"The defendant was overheard calling her a 'slut' and saying why did he bother," said Mr. Wicks.

Peter McCartney, defending, said: "This was a catastrophic loss of control. Nobody can quite believe what he did that night. Nothing could have foretold what he would do. He is extremely remorseful. It seems they had drunk too much and argued. They were youngsters and jealousy creeps into the relationships of the young.He will regret this for the rest of his life. He is a broken person and is sorry to everybody."

After the case today, the following statement has been issued by Megan's family:

"Today we are satisfied that Andrew Hall has pleaded guilty to this offence. The day Megan died will be forever etched in our memories, it was the day our lives were torn apart. Megan was a healthy, vibrant, loving and caring person who was very much loved by all her family and all her many friends. She had her whole life ahead of her. Before her untimely death we were an ordinary family leading an ordinary life. Since that fateful day our world has changed beyond recognition. The pain of losing our beautiful daughter and the tragic and awful way she died will stay with us for the rest of our lives. Megan was loved so much and will be missed forever. We would like to thank all Police forces involved for their support, especially our family liaison team".