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MURDERER BY SUZY GIBSON AND FRANCESCA WINROW 16:30 - 03 December 2003 A teenager was today found guilty of murdering schoolboy Adam Morrell. Matthew Welsh, 19, faces life in prison for killing the 14-year-old schoolboy. The unanimous guilty verdict was greeted with cries of 'Yes' from the public gallery following a 15-day trial at Nottingham Crown Court. His co-accused - former girlfriend 17-year-old Sarah Morris and another teenager, Daniel Biggs, 19 - were cleared of murder. Morris was found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent - which related to the vicious attack on Adam preceding his murder. Sentencing has been adjourned until December 17. Adam was beaten and tortured before Welsh's best friend, Nathan Barnett, strangled the schoolboy and dismembered his body. Barnett, 27, has already admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. Doctors found that he had Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism. Adam suffered more than 280 injuries to his body after he was punched, kicked and stamped on by his attackers in a house in Havelock Street, Loughborough. The gang were taking ecstasy, smoking cannabis and drinking on the night of the attack, which started when Adam began "whingeing" the court heard. Welsh, said to be the group leader, admitted he punched Adam first, sparking the prolonged attack. Welsh, Morris and Barnett each took it in turns to beat him as he cried out in pain. As the attack continued, he drifted in and out of consciousness and each time he fell to the floor they picked him up and beat him again. Biggs admitted he was present during the assault but did not take part. He was cleared by the jury of any involvement in the attack. The following day, the court heard, Welsh, Biggs and Morris went to the funfair and, while they were away, Barnett mixed sugar and boiling water and poured it on the boy's back and chest, causing horrific burns. Morris claimed that, as Adam lay on a mattress in the house where his three attackers lived, the boy overheard the group discussing whether he should be killed. Barnett later bought black plastic bags and tape and returned to the house where he announced he was going to kill Adam and strangled the boy to death. Barnett then put the body in the bath and began cutting it up with two saws and wrapping it in the plastic bags. Unsuspecting passers-by later made the gruesome discoveries of the dismembered limbs in various parts of Loughborough while members of the gang frantically cleaned the house in an effort to hide the evidence. The group persuaded Barnett to go to the police and admit to the killing and the concocted false account of events leading to the boy's death. Welsh, Biggs and Morris have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Barnett had admitted perverting the course of justice. Mr Justice Morland remanded the three teenagers in custody for sentencing later this month. Welsh is facing life imprisonment after being found guilty by the jury of murder and deliberately inflicting grievous bodily harm on the boy. Morris could face a maximum life sentence after being found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. She had already admitted causing grievous bodily harm but not with intent to do so. Biggs faces jail for admitting his part in concocting a false story. All three will be sentenced along with Barnett on December 17 at Nottingham Crown Court. GIRL 'TOO SCARED' TO STOP ADAM'S DEATH BY SUZY GIBSON 10:30 - 29 November 2003 A teenage girl was too scared to do anything to stop schoolboy Adam Morrell being killed, a court heard. Barrister Frances Oldham QC told a court that while the actions of her client Sarah Morris were "reprehensible", she was not guilty of murder. Morris has admitted taking part in a vicious attack on the 14-year-old schoolboy at her home in Havelock Street, Loughborough. She did nothing to stop him being strangled to death by her housemate, Nathan Barnett. Adam was beaten, tortured then strangled before his body was dismembered and put into plastic bags and dumped around Loughborough. Morris (17), Welsh (19), and Biggs (19), all of Loughborough, deny murder between November 14 and 18. Barnett (27), of Loughborough, has admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. High Court Judge Mr Justice Morland yesterday adjourned the case until Monday, when he is due to sum up the trial before sending the jury out to consider their verdicts. Prosecutors have told Nottingham Crown Court that Adam was beaten so badly by the four that he could not be allowed to leave. Yesterday, Mrs Oldham made her closing speech for Morris, who denies murder. Mrs Oldham said although Morris did nothing to help, she claimed she was too scared of the others - who included her then boyfriend Welsh - to do anything in case they meted out the same treatment to her. Morris had only known Welsh a month and moved in with him after two weeks. Mrs Oldham said: "Sarah Morris alone, of all the defendants in this case, has expressed remorse and shown regret for the death of Adam Morrell." Mrs Oldham said that Sarah, when she gave evidence, told the jury: "I wanted Adam to get better. He didn't deserve to die." Welsh's defence counsel, in his closing speech on Thursday, told the jury the case against Welsh and Morris was the same. However, Mrs Oldham said: "Sarah Morris was not a player in that household and not a dominant character in any way. "She told us 'I was scared'. "She also feared they might do to her what they'd done to Adam. "In that household, what power did she have to stop any of those three from doing anything? Certainly not Nathan Barnett from strangling Adam." The Crown say against her that she specifically agreed and encouraged the killing of Adam Morrell and that she intended him being killed. "'It's not suggested by anyone that she participated in the killing. Please make no mistake, the fact she was in that house, that she knew a killing was to take place and the fact she took no steps to prevent or discourage it - it still doesn't make her guilty of murder," said Mrs Oldham. I STRANGLED ADAM WITH BARE HANDS BY SUZY GIBSON AND FRANCESCA WINROW 10:30 - 22 November 2003 This was the scene as self-confessed killer Nathan Barnett told how he strangled schoolboy Adam Morrell. Adam's parents looked on stony-faced as Barnett described their 14-year-old son's horrific death. Barnett, who has admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, was giving evidence for his best friend Matthew Welsh - one of three people accused of murdering Adam. Barnett (27) told Nottingham Crown Court that he was helped by Daniel Biggs, who has denied murder. Barnett had previously maintained that he acted alone. He also claimed it was Biggs who put the murderous idea in his head and encouraged him. When asked what Adam had done to deserve being killed, Barnett replied: "Nothing." Barnett told the jury that after Adam had been beaten up and scalded with boiling water, he strangled him with his bare hands. It took 10 minutes for Adam to die, the court heard. He said that he strangled Adam as the schoolboy lay injured after a repeated beating on a mattress in a bedroom in Havelock Street, Loughborough. Half-way through, he said, Biggs joined him. Barnett said: "I was trying to strangle Adam. Daniel applied additional pressure to my hands. He stood with his left foot on his throat," He alleged that Biggs then kicked the boy to check if he was dead. Welsh's barrister, Rex Ted QC, asked Barnett: "At the time you were killing Adam Morrell, what did you understand Matthew Welsh's attitude was?" Barnett said: "I got the impression he was against it." Under cross-examination by Biggs' counsel, Sir Ivan Lawrence QC, Barnett denied coming to court to get Welsh off the hook and to pin extra blame on Biggs. Barnett also claimed he played a children's game of 'paper, scissors, stone' with Biggs to decide which of them was to carry out the killing - something that he omitted to mention when he confessed to the police. He told the court he did not know why he forgot to tell the police that Biggs joined in the killing and that Biggs had egged him on, saying "kill him, kill him." Mr Ted asked: "Have you come here to tell lies to help your very good friend, Matthew Welsh? Barnett replied: "No. To see justice done." Barnett - who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism - said the condition made it hard for him to make friends. He said that he disliked Biggs. Sir Ivan said: "You have lied because you want to do serious harm to the man you hate?" Barnett replied: "No. I want him to take responsibility for what he's done. Biggs put the idea in my head. "The only way to get out of this was to kill Adam, to get out of the trouble for assaulting him.'' He alleged Biggs told him it was the only solution. Sir Ivan said: "You could have said 'I'm not doing it. You do it'." Barnett replied: "I could have, but I didn't." Sir Ivan said Barnett had "lied and lied and lied" and quoted his contradictory police confession, stating: "I made this decision because no-one else would make up their minds and something had to be done. "I went back and I told them what I intended doing. "There was no enthusiasm from any of them." Barnett then told the court that he was homosexual - but insisted that his association with Welsh was only as friends. Barnett went on to deny being dominated by, or infatuated with, Welsh. Sir Ivan quoted from prison letters Barnett wrote to Welsh after their arrests: "I ain't going to let you down bro'. Never in a million zillion years. "We've been through too much, good and bad, to walk away from each other." In another letter, Barnett stated he wanted to see Biggs suffer until the trial. He wrote: "I want to hear him go hysterical when he gets his sentence." The jury was shown pictures of Adam's body parts wrapped in black plastic - which Barnett said he had packaged all by himself. He also claimed to have disposed of the dismembered pieces unaided, in two separate trips from the house. Barnett said he went out to buy bin bags and a map of Loughborough in readiness, a few hours before the killing. The trial continues. 'LET'S KILL HIM, IT WILL BE FUN, LET'S KILL HIM' BY SUZY GIBSON AND FRANCESCA WINROW 10:30 - 20 November 2003 A former soldier suggested killing Loughborough schoolboy Adam Morrell for fun, a murder trial heard. Daniel Biggs, who served in the Army for a year, played an active role in the merciless attack, according to one of his co-accused. Sarah Morris, who denies murdering 14-year-old Adam, confessed to joining in a vicious attack upon him. She also claimed that, during the beating, co-accused Daniel Biggs suggested killing the boy, saying: "Let's kill him, it will be fun, let's kill him." To police, she admitted kicking Adam, with others, who were high on drink and drugs. Matthew Welsh (19), Sarah Ruth Morris (17) and Daniel John Biggs (19), all of Loughborough, are accused of murdering Adam between November 14 and 18 last year. A fourth person, Nathan Barnett (27), of Loughborough, admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility at an earlier hearing. Adam was beaten, strangled, and dismembered and his body dumped around the town. Morris only admitted any involvement in the killing after 16 police interviews, Nottingham Crown Court was told. She told police she bought cannabis and 'Bin Laden' tablets on November 13 last year. In a written statement to police, Morris said: "I did not kill Adam, he was killed by Nathan Barnett. "I didn't take any part in cutting up or disposing of his body. "I was, however, involved in the assault on Adam on Thursday night. "I was with Matthew Welsh, Nathan Barnett, Danny Biggs and Adam Morrell. We had taken drugs called 'Bin Ladens'. These are uppers. "We took the drugs in the front bedroom at 72 Havelock Street. Shortly afterwards, Adam started moaning. "He was told to shut up because the drugs were making us feel happy and he was bringing us down. After a few minutes, Adam started moaning again. "Danny and Matt took him on to the landing and hit him a few times because he was bringing us down. "Danny then decided to take Adam into Nathan's room. He pushed him down the landing, punching and kicking him." Morris claimed Barnett then joined in before she attacked Adam, kicking him in the head, chest and legs, before punching him in the face.The assault lasted about three hours. She said: "Danny wanted to carry on saying: 'Let's kill him, it will be fun, let's kill him. I never agreed to this and neither did Matt." The next day, she said she "couldn't believe" what they had done. She said she did not go to police because she did not want to get into trouble. The next day she, Welsh and Biggs went out to the fair and returned to find Adam had been scalded with boiling water and sugar by Barnett. Barnett and Biggs then discussed killing Adam, she alleged. Morris said: "Matt and I said that we wanted nothing to do with it, we wanted it all to end." Between 4pm and 6pm, Barnett allegedly announced he was going to kill Adam. She said she turned her music up. She said: "Danny went to have a look at his body. I didn't want to look. but Danny pulled me to the door and made me look. "Nathan had crossed Adam's arms over his chest. That picture is still in my mind and I don't think it will ever go away." Morris claimed Barnett alone put Adam's body parts into bags and dumped the body. She said they all cleaned the house and agreed a bogus story to cover their tracks. Welsh, of Havelock Street, Morris, of Havelock Street, and Biggs, of Park Road, deny murder but admit conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Barnett, of Havelock Street, has also admitted perverting the course of justice. The prosecution case ended yesterday and the defence was due to start today. ADAM'S LAST CALL BY SUZY GIBSON AND FRANCESCA WINROW 10:30 - 15 November 2003 The parents of schoolboy Adam Morrell have described the last time they saw their teenage son before he was killed. A statement from Adam's father, Shaun Smith, was read out on the fourth day of the Nottingham Crown Court trial describing how he let Adam stay overnight at a friend's house - and never saw his son again. The 14-year-old was beaten, tortured and strangled and his dismembered body dumped across Loughborough. Matthew Welsh (19), Daniel John Biggs (19) and Sarah Ruth Morris (17) - all from Loughborough - are on trial accused of murdering Adam between November 14 and 18 last year. They deny the charge. A fourth person, Nathan Barnett (27), admitted manslaughter, on the grounds of diminished responsibility at an earlier hearing. Mr Smith, a barman in the town, told how he last saw his son on Thursday, November 14. They had a chat in the morning before Adam went to a skate park at 12.30pm. Mr Smith told his son to be home by 9.30pm, otherwise he would be grounded. The father left for work at about 4.30pm and later received a phone call from his son, asking if he could stay the night at a friend's house. Mr Smith stated: "I said no. He then said he was going to stop at the home of a friend named Matt and would go to school the next day. I then talked to a man who I thought was Matt's dad." Mr Smith said he agreed to the arrangement and told Adam he would see him the next day. He said: "Adam said he wanted money for the fair. I said he had to find me and he said he would. "I thought Matt was a school mate of Adam's, about the same age, but, I've never met Matt." Mr Smith said Adam failed to return home, but said: "I didn't think anything was wrong. "He had previously, a few times, stayed at a friend's and returned a few days later." Mr Smith said that on the Monday, he started work at 7pm and at about 10.30pm his partner, Wendy, told him that Adam had still not returned. He said: "I came home at midnight. Adam's tea was still out and the fair money left for him at the weekend was still there." Mr Smith said that he became concerned by Tuesday. At 11.40pm on Tuesday, a police officer called to see him, asking about Adam and the last time he had seen his son. Mr Smith said: "I was aware body parts were found in the canal, from radio and newspapers, but I thought it was to do with a young Asian female." On Wednesday, police asked if they could take items from Adam's bedroom. He said: "Later that day, I was told there had been a positive fingerprint identification of my son." A statement from Adam's mother, Dawn Morrell, was also read out. She said Adam had enjoyed school as a youngster and, at the age of 11, gone to Limehurst High School. She said that at a parents evening she was told that he had been cheeky and misbehaving. He was excluded from school several times and occasionally displayed "attention seeking" behaviour at home. Ms Morrell said that after splitting up with Mr Smith, Adam lived with her, but in March 2002 went to live with his father. She would see Adam weekly and last saw him on November 13, when he asked for money for some chips and then left. She was later shown police photographs of Adam's clothing, which she identified as belonging to her son. The trial continues. NEIGHBOURS TELL OF LOUD ARGUMENT AT HOUSE 10:30 - 15 November 2003 Neighbours have described hearing a loud argument in the Loughborough house where a schoolboy was allegedly murdered. Stephen Harrison's home backs on to the garden of 72 Havelock Street, Loughborough, where 14-year-old Adam Morrell is alleged to have been killed. Mr Harrison, of Storer Road, Loughborough, claimed that the shouting was so loud it woke him up. He told Nottingham Crown Court that he could hear loud voices as he returned home from the pub at about 12.40am on Sunday, November 17, last year. He said: "'It was getting louder and louder. There were at least three people and certainly the shouting of a girl. "'My wife commented on the noise. I fell asleep and was woken up at about 2.30am. It was the same people. The voices were the same.'' He said that there was one female and at least two males and maybe a third. "It went on for 15 to 20 minutes and then it went quiet." He said that he could not identify the words spoken and added: "Generally, it was just noise.'' His wife, Louise, also claimed to have heard muffled arguing earlier the same evening and she was awoken by further noise at 4am. John Milmo QC, prosecuting, is alleging it was the defendants arguing about how to get rid of the body. In his opening speech to the jury earlier this week, Mr Milmo said: "We suggest the noise did not relate to the attack on Adam because that happened previously. "It almost certainly related to the question of how his body was to be disposed of." Mr Harrison also told the court that later on Sunday he and his wife noticed armchair seat covers hanging out on the washing line of the house in Havelock Street. Mr Milmo claims the covers were washed to get rid of any evidence. BARNETT 'CUT UP DEAD BODY' BY COURT STAFF 16:30 - 13 November 2003 Nathan Barnett took a cigarette break in-between dismembering the body of schoolboy Adam Morrell, a jury was told. Barnett told his alleged accomplices: "I've cut off the legs and an arm, but I've still got to deal with the head." Sarah Morris, who is on trial with two others for Adam's murder, allegedly described to the police being shocked when she saw the boy's dead body after he had been strangled by Barnett - who is not on trial having earlier admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. The jury heard Morris, 17, also tell how she turned up music to cover the sound of the body being sawn up. After her arrest, she admitted joining in the prolonged attack at a house in Havelock Street, Loughborough, where she lived with boyfriend Matthew Welsh and Barnett. John Milmo QC, prosecuting, told the court Adam was attacked because he had been "whingeing" annoyingly. When interviewed, Morris said she watched Barnett, Welsh and Daniel Biggs punching and kicking him during a three-hour ordeal. Mr Milmo said: "She watched him being beaten for an hour before joining in. "She said that by the next day his face was like 'an alien' and he was unrecognisable. She didn't know what to do. "She said she went to the fair and when she got back Barnett told her about having poured boiling water over his back. "Barnett and Biggs had a conversation about killing him. Barnett later got up and said he was going to kill him. "Barnett came back with some saws. "He went off to the bathroom and she turned the music up to hide the noise of the sawing. It took time. "He came back to report on his progress, saying 'I have cut off the legs and an arm but I've still got to deal with the head'. He had a cigarette, then went to finish the job. "Wrapping and disposing of the body was down to Barnett, she said, and the next day she helped clean the bathroom." Welsh, when interviewed, accepted he joined in the attack. Mr Milmo said that Welsh told the police he woke Adam up and asked where it hurt. He added: "He said he went to the fair with Biggs and Morris to get cannabis, leaving Barnett. When they returned Adam had a scald on his back." Welsh claimed he wanted to let the boy go, but told the police they could not because of the state he was in. He said Biggs later told him Barnett had been strangling Adam. Mr Milmo said: "Welsh left the room to see if he was dead and kicked him on the head to check if he was alive." He added that Welsh told officers they had scrubbed the place clean "to destroy any evidence Adam had been there." Welsh claimed he was the person who told Barnett to give himself up, which he later did. Co-accused Biggs claimed he was present but played no active role. He told police he watched the others kicking and attacking Adam but did nothing himself." The case continues. 'KILLED BY HIS FRIENDS' BY SUZY GIBSON 16:30 - 12 November 2003

A schoolboy was killed and his body chopped up by his friends, a court was told today. The remains of 14-year-old Adam Morrell were wrapped in bin bags, sealed with tape and dumped around Loughborough. Teenagers Matthew Welsh, 19, Daniel John Biggs, 19, and Sarah Ruth Morris, 17 - all from Loughborough - went on trial accused of murdering Adam between November 14 and 18 last year. They all deny the charge. Nottingham Crown Court was told how Adam was staying over with friends at a house in Havelock Street, Loughborough - where he was allegedly killed. Welsh and his then girlfriend, Morris, were living there at the time. Biggs was living in a hostel in nearby Park Road. The court heard that, in the days following Adam's death, a series of gruesome discoveries were made around Loughborough. A group of walkers discovered a bin bag containing one of the schoolboy's arms in the Grand Union Canal, near Belton Road, on the afternoon of Sunday, November 17. Prosecutor John Milmo QC said: "One of the walkers noticed what looked like a black plastic bag wrapped in grey coloured tape, in the canal." On the return journey, one of them retrieved the package. Mr Milmo said: "Curiosity got the better of him and he looked inside. He saw what he thought was skin. There were children with the party and they were moved away. They opened it, thinking it was someone disposing of an animal. "But it looked like human fingers, which is not surprising, because that's exactly what they were." Police were called and the arm was taken to Home Office pathologist Professor Guy Rutty. The next morning, a woman walking her dog, near Epinal Way roundabout, saw a bin liner. He added: "She looked in the bag and saw what she thought was a leg. The police checked the bag. It contained a pair of legs." The following Tuesday, a student was on her way home with her boyfriend near Hospital Way when they found another bag. Mr Milmo said: "The findings of human remains had been reported in the media and it was the topic of conversation at the college that day. They saw a package bound with silver tape. The boyfriend, when he poked the package, thought he was feeling bone. "He went home and got some scissors and returned. He prodded it with the scissors and may be forgiven for swearing because there was blood on the scissors. A further body part was recovered." The next day, two bags allegedly containing Adam's bloodstained clothing - a black fleece and a pair of training shoes, jeans, boxer shorts and socks were recovered near Rosebery Street electricity sub-station. Adam's head was found in a box in the canal, during a three-day search of the area by divers. One of the body's arms is still missing. Adam, whose parents are separated, lived with his father, Shaun Smith, in Rupert Brooke Road, Loughborough. His mother, who also lives in the town, saw her son briefly for the last time, on Wednesday, November 13. The court was told that Adam's father gave him permission to stay out overnight with friends on November 14 - and never saw him again. A number of witnesses, including a police officer, claim to have seen Adam in the company of two older males on the evening of November 15, at a funfair in the town. Mr Milmo told the jury at Nottingham Crown Court that a 27-year-old man called Nathan Barnett - who lived with Welsh and Morris - was also allegedly involved. It was Barnett who bought bin bags, binding tape and a map of Loughborough on the afternoon of November 16, it was claimed. The prosecution allege that, by that time, the murder had most likely already taken place. The jury of five men and seven women were asked to cast aside their emotions when considering the evidence. Mr Milmo said: "This is a case, I regret to say, in which a good deal of the evidence is unpleasant and distressing. "It involves the death of a 14-year-old boy in circumstances of great cruelty. "You will be affected by sympathy for the boy, his friends and particularly his parents. "You have to take a conscious decision to put emotion and sympathy to one side." The trial continues.

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WITNESSES SOUGHT BY POLICE AFTER SHOOTING

Detectives have issued detailed descriptions of witnesses they need speak to after a man was shot outside a convenience store.

A 27-year-old man was shot in the leg in the attack outside the Spar shop, in Evington Place, Highfields, on Friday night. The man's injury was not thought to be serious and he underwent minor surgery on Saturday. He is making a good recovery.

Detectives are still trying to find a motive for the attack and have not yet arrested anyone.

They have studied CCTV footage from the shop and are appealing for these crucial witnesses to come forward:

* A couple who had used the Spar shop and were walking along Evington Place before the incident. The man is white, in his late-20s to early-30s and was wearing a waist-length light-coloured coat, a light blue T-shirt with black lettering across the chest and jeans. The woman is in her early-20s, of slim build with blonde hair tied up in a high pony tail. She was wearing a bright yellow top and khaki trousers.

* An Asian man who came to the victim's aid.

* A person in the telephone kiosk at the top of Evington Road and someone standing near to the telephone kiosk.

* A black man, around 6ft in his mid-20s, wearing jogging bottoms who was a customer of the shop.

Police would also like to speak to the occupants of a dark Mazda 323F, a dark saloon car and an old-shape Nissan Sunny which were in the area.

The suspect is black and was wearing a dark hooded top and dark trousers.

Contact police on 0116 222 2222.

FAREWELL, ADAM

BY FRANCESCA WINROW
16:30 - 07 June 2003

The family of tragic teenager Adam Morrell said a moving goodbye to their "ray of sunshine" today.

About 400 mourners packed All Saints' Parish Church, in Loughborough, to bid a final farewell to the 14-year-old, whose dismembered remains were found dumped around the town in November. Four people - three men and a 16-year-old girl - have been charged with murder and are awaiting trial.

Today, Adam's coffin was carried through the streets of Loughborough on a horse-drawn carriage.

Scores of people lined the route to pay their own last respects to the boy whose death left the town in shock.

Many were openly weeping while others clung to each other for support as the coffin made its slow, 20-minute procession to the church.

On each side of the coffin were simple family floral tributes, spelling out: "Son", "Adam" and "Brother".

Earlier this week, Adam's distraught parents Dawn and Shaun told of their grief, saying: "He was a like a ray of sunshine on a dull day. Always laughing, smiling and chatting.

"Words can't really explain how it feels to have lost him. We will miss him always and love him always."

This morning at All Saints', pallbearers carried Adam's coffin, bearing a single wreath, into the church.

Adam's mother wept as she walked behind the coffin. His father followed behind, the strain showing in his face as he fought back his tears.

During the service, which lasted nearly an hour, Adam's teacher at Loughborough's Student Support Service, paid tribute to him.

Jacinta Barnard said: "Adam was a special lad in so many ways and every member of our staff and students have some wonderful memories of him.

''In recent months, several of our students have written their own personal tribute to him.

"He brought life and laughter to our base, and we knew that he was in the building well before he was in view because of his loud and vivacious personality.

"We were enormously proud of this lovely, lovely boy who turned up whatever the weather, even on days when he wasn't supposed to come to us and always with a smile on his face."

The service was conducted by the Rev Stephen Cherry who spoke of how Adam's death had shocked the community.

He said: "All sorts of people were deeply affected by the news. They felt feelings that they had not felt before and had emotional challenges of a new kind to face up to."

Adam was laid to rest at Loughborough Cemetery.

10:30 - 14 March 2003
The family of a deputy head teacher believed to have been stabbed to death by her boyfriend, who later died in a car crash, have paid tribute to the couple.

Rebecca Smith, 39, of Herrick Road, Loughborough, was found dead in the home she shared with her boyfriend shortly before 10pm on February 26. Timothy Baldwin, 39, was found at about the same time in his Saab 900S car, which had hit a tree in Breakback Lane, Woodhouse Eaves - about two miles from the home he shared with Rebecca. Neighbours told how they had heard arguing on the night of the deaths.

Rebecca's father, who wished to remain unnamed, spoke on behalf of both families yesterday.

He said: "Both families are very distraught at the tragic circumstances surrounding the deaths of Rebecca and Tim.
"We will only remember them both with love."
Rebecca, a teacher at Fairham Community College, in Clifton, Nottingham, for five years, left her father, mother, two brothers and four sisters.
Timothy leaves a brother.
Her school has already paid tribute to her.
Staff and pupils have been taking time out of lessons to decide on a suitable permanent memorial.
Head teacher Eddie Smith said: "Rebecca was an outstanding teacher and made an enormous contribution to the life of the school.
"She will be sadly missed by all of us. We are still coming to terms with her death."

MEMORIAL IS PLANNED FOR MURDERED TEACHER
A permanent memorial is to be created for a teacher who was murdered at her Leicestershire home.

Rebecca Smith, 39, was apparently repeatedly stabbed by boyfriend Timothy Baldwin at the house they shared in Herrick Road, Loughborough, on Wednesday night. Shortly afterwards, Mr Baldwin, 39, died when his car crashed into a tree about two miles away at a beauty spot between Nanpantan and Woodhouse Eaves.

Police have confirmed the deaths are linked and that they are not looking for anyone else. Ms Smith, a deputy head teacher, had worked at Fairham Community College, in Clifton, Nottingham, for five years.

Head teacher Eddie Smith said: "Staff and pupils will this week take time out from lessons to consider an appropriate memorial.

"Rebecca was an outstanding teacher and made an enormous contribution to the life of the school.

"She will be sadly missed by all of us and we are still coming to terms with her death."

Dr Eric Forshaw, vice-chairman of governors and team rector for Clifton, said: "Everyone is traumatised, but the staff have shown great professionalism under the circumstances."

Dr Forshaw, who interviewed Ms Smith when she joined the school, said: "Ms Smith was in every respect a very fine teacher. She was a model as a teacher and an example to the school and the pupils in the way she conducted herself. She is going to be very greatly missed.

"She was a very bright, vivacious person - personal, friendly and warm."

Meanwhile, prayers were said for Ms Smith and Mr Baldwin in churches across Loughborough yesterday.

The Rev Stephen Cherry, of Loughborough Parish Church, said the two deaths were mentioned during his service. He said: "Everyone who hears of this will feel the same chill of sadness."

Flowers have been left at the house in Herrick Road and at the scene of the car crash in Breakback Road, Nanpantan.

Mr Baldwin, a scientist, worked for Advantica, the Loughborough energy pipeline technology firm.

Neighbours told the Mercury last week how they had heard arguing on the night of the deaths.

A police spokesman said: "Officers are linking both deaths and are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incidents at this time." [see below]

WOMAN IS FOUND STABBED TO DEATH
BY ALISON COCK AND JUDY SMYTH
16:30 - 27 February 2003
Police today launched a major investigation after a woman was found stabbed to death at a house in Loughborough.
[I hear it's Herrick road??]

The woman's body was found by officers at around 10pm last night. Detectives leading the inquiry today linked the killing to the death of a man in a car crash near the Outwoods beauty spot at Nanpantan, near Loughborough, shortly afterwards.

The man's car left the isolated Breakback Road between the village and Beacon Hill and crashed into a tree. No other vehicles were involved.

Forensic scientists were at both scenes today carrying out detailed investigations. Police have refused to reveal the location of the house.

Detectives have confirmed that they know the dead man's identity and have informed his relatives.

But a police spokeswoman said: "Officers are still trying to trace the family of the woman. Post mortem examinations will be carried out on both the deceased later today.

"We would ask anyone with information about the collision to contact us." Breakback Road was still cordoned off by police this afternoon.

Traffic wardens were directing motorists away from the area and access was only allowed to the few residents and businesses based near the scene.

Local people told the Mercury that there was a lot of police activity in the area last night.

Mary Bell, who owns Home Farm in Breakback Road, said: "I could hear a helicopter and lots of sirens but had no idea what had happened."

A member of staff at Charnwood Forest Golf Club, also in Breakback Road, said: "We arrived this morning to find the road cordoned off. We were allowed into the club but were not told anything about what had happened.

"We did see a forensic team going down the road and thought there had been some sort of collision."

A worker at Charnwood Lodge Residential Home in Breakback Road said: "There have been a lot of rumours flying around about what might have happened."

Anyone with information about the crash should contact the police by calling 0116 222 2222.

No further information at the moment.
FOUR CHARGED IN BODY PARTS DEATH
23 November 2002
Three men and a teenage girl have appeared in court charged with killing a 14-year-old schoolboy.

Nathan Barnett, 26, Matthew Welsh, 18, Daniel Biggs, 18, all of Loughborough, and a 16-year-old girl were charged with murder and false imprisonment.

Loughborough magistrates remanded them in custody. Adam Morrell's remains were found in three locations in the town..

.........................................
This is the 14-year-old boy whose dismembered remains have been found dumped in around Loughborough.

Police today named him as Adam Morrell. They released a picture [see below] as they continued to question the three people arrested on suspicion of his murder.

Adam is understood to have been a former pupil of De Lisle RC School, although the school has not confirmed this. His devastated family were too upset to comment.

Det Supt Bob Small, who is leading the inquiry, said: "It is obviously an extremely distressing time for Adam's family and friends, and our thoughts are with them. Adam was well known in the Loughborough area and we are keen to speak to anyone who saw him between Thursday evening and Sunday afternoon.

"It is very important to the investigation to find out where he had been. I would urge his friends and anyone who knew him to come forward."

Officers were continuing to search the town for more body parts. Four people were still being held after police successfully applied for an extension for further questioning.

Police named boy as Adam Morrell. Police were last night continuing to interview four people about the his death.
Three of them - a 26-year-old man, a 19-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl - were arrested on suspicion of murder on Tuesday and taken to
separate police stations.
An 18-year-old man is being questioned after being arrested yesterday.

The series of gruesome discoveries began on Sunday, when the victim's
severed arm was found in the Grand Union Canal, near the Belton Road
bridge.
More remains have been found near some allotments off Epinal Way and at a footpath beside Cumberland Road playing fields.
Police yesterday also searched the former Marathon Hosiery factory in Rosebery Street and a terraced house in Havelock Street.
At the former factory, officers took photographs of some clothing found at
the scene and removed other garments.
Yesterday, Judith Evans, head of Rosebery Primary School near the Cumberland Road investigation scene, said: "There has been a lot of police activity,with roads and paths cordoned off on the way to school. But we are trying to go about business as normal.
"This could be upsetting for the pupils, but we are trying to keep them
shielded from it and are discouraging any talk of the finds."
Six bouquets have been left beside the site off Epinal Way, Loughborough,where some of the remains were found. A card on one bouquet said: "God
bless you, your family."
By this morning, the tape had been removed from the Cumberland Road site and from outside the hosiery factory. The footpath along Epinal Way has been reopened.
Police were still guarding the house in Havelock Street and the Canal Bank.
A team of divers were continuing to stand by.
LOCAL NEWS
More specialist advice is available from the North Area crime prevention officers on Leicester (0116) 222 2222 ext. 4123.

Click on the link below for local news on crime.

http://www.leics.police.uk/policing/3_north_area/13_loughborough/

From Leicester Mercury 20 Nov

Three people have been arrested on suspicion of murdering a boy after the discovery of his dismembered remains.

Police made the arrests last night, hours after the discovery of further body parts.

Police originally believed the victim to be a girl aged between 11 and 15, but Home Office pathologists have now confirmed the recovered body parts are from a boy.

Police believe they know the identity of the victim and are waiting for a formal identification to be carried out.

Two bouquets of flowers were this morning left beside the site off Epinal Way, Loughborough, where some of the remains were found. A card attached to one bouquet said: "God bless you, your family."

The suspects - a 19-year-old man, a 26-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl - are being held at separate police stations.

Police later said they had also arrested an 18-year-old man in connection with the incident.

This morning, the site where the latest remains were discovered - on a path alongside Cumberland Road playing fields - was cordoned off.

Police also sealed off the former Marathon Hosiery premises in Rosebery Street. Officers later took photographs of some clothing at the scene and removed other garments.

Police also stood guard outside a terraced house in nearby Havelock Street. Neighbours there said officers arrived at the house around 7pm yesterday and brought out a number of black bags.

Judith Evans, head teacher of Rosebery Primary School near the Cumberland Road investigation scene, said: "There has been a lot of police activity with roads and paths cordoned off on the way to school, but we are trying to go about business as normal.

She said: "Clearly, this could be upsetting for the pupils but we are trying to keep them shielded from it and we are discouraging any talk of the finds."

The discovery of human remains started on Sunday afternoon when a severed arm was found in the Grand Union Canal, near the Belton Road bridge. Police launched a major investigation and searched the canal and surrounding area.

The following day, a woman out walking her dog found two severed legs on a footpath next to Epinal Way - about half a mile away. All the body parts were wrapped in black bin liners.

The third set of remains was found last night beside the Cumberland Road playing fields, but police have not revealed exactly what was discovered.

Police believe the victim was killed over the weekend.

Anyone with information can contact police on 0116 222 2222.