Murderer had drawn up ‘kill list’, court told

A STUDENT, who used a game of “truth or dare” to admit murdering his stepgrandmother, had previously drawn up a “kill list” of targets, a court heard.

Tiernan Darnton, 21, killed Mary Gregory, 94, by setting fire to the curtains in her bungalow in Heysham, Lancs, in May 2018.

Police initially thought the blaze was an accident although her family said they had always suspected Darnton’s involvement.

But detectives reopened the case the following year after Darnton confessed to his involvement during a counselling session.

Police subsequently discovered he had made a similar confession during a game of “truth or dare” with some friends, telling them it was his “darkest secret”.

Yesterday, after Darnton was jailed for life and ordered to serve at least 15 years, Mrs Gregory’s son, Peter, said his mother had “despised and distrusted” her step-grandson and “did not want him anywhere near her”.

Darnton claimed he had disabled the fire alarm because he did not want his step-grandmother to suffer from dementia anymore.

But Preston Crown Court heard he was obsessed with serial killers and searches of his mobile phone found him describing himself as a “murderer” and a “monster”.

Police also discovered a “kill list” with numerous names as well as detailed plans he had drawn up to stalk and attack women.

In a victim impact statement Mr Gregory said: “Having learnt that my mum’s death was at the hands of Tiernan Darnton, whom we had willingly welcomed into our family home, is disgusting and shattering.”

Mrs Justice Yip told the defendant: “Murder had been on your mind for some time. It is hard to imagine the horror Mrs Gregory must have felt when she realised her house was on fire and was filling with smoke.

“The manner of her death was particularly cruel.”