Thug beat girlfriend to death before dumping body in ditch and pretending she died in hit-and-run

An evil thug who “savagely” beat his girlfriend to death before pretending to her family she was killed in a hit-and-run has been jailed for life.

Alan Edney, 31, murdered 35-year-old Kerry Owen and then dumped her body in a ditch on a remote country lane covered in grass cuttings.

Tragic Ms Owen was discovered along Wast Hills Lane in Hopwood, Worcestershire, on 27 May last year by a dog walker, after his dog found a pool of blood close to the undergrowth where her body lay.

A court heard that Mr Edney had spun a web of elaborate lies in the wake of the murder in an effort to cover his tracks, telling Ms Owen’s family that she had died in a hit-and-run.

He went on to claim that he accompanied her body to hospital and that he had been taken to a police station to provide a statement about the collision.

In reality, he had subjected his girlfriend to a “savage beating” before dumping her lifeless body in a ditch, jurors heard.

The 31-year-old, of Handsworth, Birmingham, was found guilty of murder following a four-week trial at Worcester Crown Court and was jailed for life on Thursday (29 June). The judge ruled that he would serve a minimum of 20 years behind bars.

Detective Chief Inspector Gerry Smith, of West Mercia Police, said: “Edney spent the hours after he had killed Kerry elaborately covering his tracks. Instead of calling for an ambulance after he had brutally attacked her, he sought to cover her body and hide his involvement. He contacted her family and told them she had been killed in a hit and run collision.

“Even after he was arrested on suspicion of her murder he continued to lie, telling officers he had alibis. He later told officers in custody he had been in bed at the time Kerry was killed.

“However, our investigation uncovered Edney’s elaborate web of lies with extensive enquiries, which included forensic, house to house and CCTV enquiries. This proved his account was false and he was in fact responsible for her murder.

“Edney will now face the consequences of his violent and deceitful actions and while today’s verdict will not undo a horrific killing, I hope it brings some solace to Kerry’s family that justice has been done.”