Jailed for life, Tinder stalker who knifed student to death two weeks after they split up
THE family of a student murdered by her stalker ex- boyfriend said they were ‘ serving a lifetime of pain, anguish and loss’ as her killer was jailed for life yesterday.
Joshua Stimpson, 26, stabbed Molly McLaren, 23, more than 75 times as she was sitting in her car outside a shopping centre two weeks after she ended their relationship.
It emerged during his trial that he had stalked her and two other ex-girlfriends. Molly’s family called for more awareness of the offence, after a judge told Stimpson he may never be released.
They added in a statement: ‘It seems nothing will take away the pain or allow us to come to terms with our Molly being taken from us. We are serving a lifetime of pain, anguish and loss.
‘A light has gone out in our hearts but shines bright as a star for ever above us. We love you Molly.’ Stimpson, a warehouse worker, met Molly on dating app Tinder and they were in a relationship for seven months – but he turned ‘nasty’ after she split up with him.
He began stalking her physically and online through social media sites including Facebook, on which he posted derogatory photos and comments.
Molly had spotted Stimpson exercising next to her at her gym just before he launched the attack on June 29 last year. She sent a terrified message to friends saying: ‘ Feel like I’m f***** g looking over my shoulder all the time.’
Minutes later the frenzied killer used a kitchen knife to stab her to death in her Citroen C2 in the car park of the Dockside shopping centre in Chatham, Kent.
He had arrived at the car park with two knives and a pickaxe. Shocking footage released by Kent Police showed the moment an officer arrived and was greeted by the killer covered in blood.
Passer-by Benjamin Moreton bravely tried to stop him, but he was unable to save the University of Kent student. Stimpson pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility but denied her murder. However, a jury at Maidstone Crown Court found him guilty and he was sentenced yesterday.
Dressed in a dark suit and white shirt, the killer showed no emotion as Judge Adele Williams told him he would be jailed for life with a minimum term of 26 years.
She said: ‘This was a cruel, calculated and cowardly act – an act of wickedness. You took away Molly’s life quite deliberately in the most vicious fashion.
‘You were determined to punish her for ending the relationship with you. You were seeking revenge.’ The judge described Molly as ‘ beautiful and intelligent’, adding: ‘Her family’s grief and anguish is raw and apparent for everyone to see. I am sure you are not suffering from a personality disorder. You planned this killing. ‘You are a highly dangerous young man and you will pose a very considerable risk to women for a very considerable period in the future.’ As the judge told Stimpson he might never be released by the parole board, members of Molly’s family sitting in the public gallery could be heard saying, ‘good’. Speaking next to her mother Joanne after the hearing, investigating officer Detective Sergeant Ali Worton said: ‘Molly was a popular and ambitious young woman with her whole life ahead of her but this was stolen brutal by way Stimpson imaginable. in the most extremely ‘He has dangerous proven to individual be an and needs to spend a lengthy period of time in prison where he can cause no further harm to innocent people. ‘ By denying murder and failing to accept responsibility for his actions, he forced Molly’s family and friends to suffer even further distress through a Crown Court trial. ‘I would like to pay tribute to Molly’s family for the strength and dignity they have shown throughout result is of some and comfort.’ I hope this
‘A light has gone out in our hearts’