Student who had throat slit in a busy shop car park Girl’s ex charged with murder
A STUDENT has died after her throat was slit in a car park at a busy shopping centre.
Molly McLaren, 23, was said to have been locked in a car, beeping her horn and screaming for help as she was attacked on Thursday.
Joshua Stimpson, 25, believed to be her boyfriend, appeared in court charged with murder yesterday.
witnesses reported seeing a man getting into a car with Miss McLaren at the Dockside shopping centre in Chatham, Kent, and locking it while she scrambled for help.
The windows of the black Citroen C1 car were spattered with blood, witnesses claimed.
officers said the attack was a ‘domestic incident’ and the attacker and victim knew each another.
Kent Police referred the death to the Independent Police Complaints Commission after it emerged Miss McLaren may have previously reported Stimpson – who was remanded in cus- tody – to the force.
Miss McLaren lived with her parents in the leafy village of Cobham near Gravesend, Kent.
The second-year undergraduate at Kent University studied sport and exercise for health, working as a dog walker and in pubs.
She was a member of her university’s netball team and also a student representative.
on Stimpson’s Facebook page there are several photos of himself and Miss McLaren on nights out together.
It is believed they had been in a relationship for several months, but separated recently.
Michelle Hextall, who was in the car park, said: ‘The woman was screaming and bibbing the horn to get attention.
‘Another shopper blocked the car in so he couldn’t escape. [The] attacker was then put into police van [and] didn’t appear to resist arrest.
‘The attacker [was] leaning on the bonnet of police car in front.’
Police confirmed that Miss McLaren had died at the scene outside an odeon cinema complex. A cousin of the vic- tim, who asked not to be named, said: ‘Me and my sister are really upset.
‘we are in shock at the moment. The whole family is.
‘My cousin has just been murdered and we’re still trying to process it.’
on the morning of the attack Miss McLaren posted a picture of herself enjoying a coffee online with the message: ‘Powered by coffee! Fully enrolled, so it’s time to switch the brain on today. oh anatomy how I’ve missed you.’
Stimpson said online he worked for a window and conservatory supply company in nearby Strood.
Kent Police said: ‘Kent Police is investigating after the victim of a serious assault in Chatham has died.
‘The woman, believed to be aged in her 20s, suffered injuries consistent with a stabbing, and died at the scene.
‘A 25-year- old man from Rochester was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody. The victim and suspect are believed to be known to each other.’