Knifeman, 51, stabbed A-Level girl to death in park attack
And here’s photo of ‘sexually motivated’ killer that police still refuse to publish
A DEPRAVED killer faces a life sentence after grabbing a promising A-Level student in a park and stabbing her in a ‘premeditated’ murder.
Jobless Mark Buckley, 51, who had a ‘sexual motive’, had been looking for a victim before he set upon Ellen Higginbottom, 18.
After inflicting horrifying neck injuries, he took her laptop and mobile phone before leaving her for dead, a court heard yesterday.
But Greater Manchester Police, who investigated the murder, have refused to release his mugshot on the grounds that he still faces a psychiatric evaluation – even though other pictures of him have already been made public.
At the time of the killing, the teenager’s distraught family told how ‘an angel has been taken from us’.
Detectives were shocked by the brutality of the daylight attack and described Ellen’s death on June 16 this year as one of the worst killings in recent memory.
Shaven headed Buckley, wearing a grey sweatshirt, pleaded guilty to her murder at Manchester Crown Court yesterday.
He was remanded in custody by Recorder, Judge David Stockdale QC, and will return to the same court next week for sentencing. Buckley, of Pres- ton, Lancashire, faces a mandatory life term for the killing.
Ellen was attacked as she walked through Orrell Water Park near Wigan, after attending nearby Winstanley College on a Friday afternoon.
She travelled 20 miles by bus every day to the college, named the best sixth form in Britain in February.
The teenager was reported missing by her parents Mike and Kay after failing to return to her home in Worsley. Her body was found by police in a wheatfield close to the park in the early hours of the following day.
A post-mortem examination confirmed she had died from multiple wounds to the neck.
A preliminary hearing after Buckley’s arrest was told she had been stabbed and that a spade and leather belt were found near her body.
Prosecutor Neil Fryman told the court hearing yesterday: ‘There was a sexual motivation for this offence and it was premeditated.’
Buckley, who was arrested three days after Ellen’s death, did not know his victim and is believed to have
practice to release images of suspects been lurking waiting for someone on conviction when they to attack. face a life sentence.
At an earlier court hearing, magistrates It could be an attempt to limit were told he ‘admitted the extent of publicity until the the offence, giving the only reason killer has undergone psychiatric that he was not mentally well’. tests – although other pictures of The prosecution said Buckley, him were splashed across news previously jailed for 30 months in websites yesterday. 2012 for arson and criminal damage, Mr and Mrs Higginbottom, both was ‘a massive risk to the 48, did not wish to comment. public’. The reason for police withholding Speaking in June, Ellen’s 80-yearold Buckley’s photograph was grandfather, Derek Goldstraw unclear last night. It is common said: ‘I can’t stop crying. The tears just come in floods. We’re all so heartbroken, our angel has been taken from us.
‘She was such a happy and beautiful girl who lit up our lives. Whoever’s done this is an animal.’
Ellen’s family paid an emotional tribute to the ‘remarkable’ teenager shortly after her murder. She was said to have had a love of learning, animals and psychology.
A heartbreaking recording of her singing was played to mourners at her funeral in Altrincham, in July.
In a statement her boyfriend Ryan Warren said: ‘Ellen was such a kind and gentle person and would never hurt anyone, always putting people before her.’
David Steele, 47, of Billinge, near Wigan, appeared alongside Buckley in the dock yesterday charged with perverting the course of justice and handling stolen goods.
He did not enter a plea and his case has been adjourned for trial in December pending a psychiatrist’s report. Dean Speakman and his partner Vicki Calland, both 30 and also from Billinge, pleaded guilty last month to charges of perverting the course of justice and of handling stolen goods.
They admitted handling the mobile phone, laptop and other property belonging to Ellen and destroying it knowing she had been murdered. They will appear alongside Buckley at the sentencing hearing next week.
‘Massive risk to public’