Man charged with killing student at shopping mall

A 23-year-old student died after a savage attack in a shopping centre car park in which her throat was allegedly slit.

Molly McLaren was in a car when violence erupted at Chatham’s Dockside Outlet Centre on Thursday morning.

Joshua Stimpson, 25, of High Street, Wouldham, was charged with her murder.

It is understood he had been in a six-month relationship with Ms McLaren.

It is alleged she had her throat slit while she sat in the vehicle. Emergency services were scrambled around 11am to reports of a serious assault relating to a domestic incident.

Shocked shoppers spoke of hearing a commotion including a car horn beeping as the University of Kent student tried to get help.

Witness Ash Tucker said there was lots of blood and people could be heard shouting.

He said: “Just pulling into Dockside Chatham, 10 police cars race past with flashing lights”.

Police guarded the area and the air ambulance landed nearby.

Later that afternoon, it was confirmed Ms McLaren died from her injuries.

Stimpson appeared before Medway magistrates via video link on Friday afternoon. He spoke only to confirm his name and address and was remanded in custody. He then appeared at Maidstone Crown Court on Tuesday, via a video link with Elmley Prison, Sheppey.

He will next be in court on September 18 to enter a plea. Judge Adele Williams set a trial date for January 22.

The room was packed with Ms McLaren’s family and friends for the brief hearing.

Kent Police has referred itself to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

It is understood as part of its inquiries, officers are investigating to see if there were any previous crime reports made by Ms McLaren. A spokesman said the watchdog will determine whether there is a requirement for the matter to be further probed.

Ms McLaren grew up in Cobham and is a former Mayfield Grammar School pupil.

Ms McLaren’s family did not wish to comment at length. Dad Douglas said: “It goes without saying she was a wonderful daughter.”

Her family and friends have set up a charity, The Molly McLaren Foundation, to support people with eating disorders.

Posting on social media, they said she had successfully battled bulimia and just the night before she died she was celebrat- ing enrolling on a personal training course to pursue her commitment to health and well-being.

The University of Kent said Ms McLaren was a popular student in the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences. Her peers and staff were offered counselling.