Teen killer’s link to park death gang
THE teenage murderer of a dinner lady and her 13-year old daughter was involved with a gang accused of killing a disabled man.
But no one was convicted over the 2014 death – and it led to the youth “thinking he was untouchable”.
The boy, now 15, admitted murdering Elizabeth Edwards and her daughter Katie. They were stabbed to death at their home last April.
His girlfriend was last week also convicted of the double murder.
It makes the pair – who were compared in court to Bonnie and Clyde – Britain’s youngest killer couple. They were 14 at the time.
It has emerged the “violent and controlling” boy was part of a gang of tearaways who tormented residents in Spalding, Lincs. Among their targets was Warren Free, inset, a vulnerable man with learning difficulties.
In August 2014 Mr Free confronted some of the youngsters in a park. He later died from injuries he suffered.
Six teenagers were cleared of his murder and manslaughter last year after defence lawyers argued they had acted in self-defence or had been innocent bystanders.
The 15-year-old boy was not accused of being involved. But locals say he was heard laughing and joking about the death in the following months. JAMES FIELDING Jane Blandford, 49, said: “He thought he was untouchable after Warren’s death. “To him it was hilarious and he liked to make jokes about it all the time.” She claimed the boy had regularly beaten up his girlfriend. She added: “For some reason she continued to love him and just grew more and more twisted being with him.” Mr Free’s next-door neighbour Fred Vines told the Daily Star Sunday the boy was one of those who had tormented Warren. He said: “I remember his face, he and the other kids were always trying to upset him.” Another neighbour, Elizabeth Adie, 64, said: “They were rotten to him.” A silver heart memorial has been set up near Mr Free’s home. Two more hearts have been placed next to it, bearing the names of Elizabeth and Katie Edwards. Elizabeth, who was a volunteer at her local church, was stabbed twice through the throat with a kitchen knife as she slept. Her daughter Katie died in the same way. Their killers plotted the murders in advance. Afterwards they shared a bath and watched teen vampire series Twilight. The boy admitted murder at Nottingham Crown Court earlier this month. The girl was convicted of murder. They will be sentenced next month.