Anthony Russell: Triple killer given whole-life prison sentence - BBC News
Anthony Russell admitted killing three people, raping his final victim before strangling her.
Anthony Russell admitted the three murders and was found guilty of rape

A triple killer who raped a pregnant woman moments before strangling her has been sentenced to a whole-life prison term.

Anthony Russell, 39, murdered Julie Williams, her son David Williams and Nicole McGregor, whose body was found in woodland near Leamington Spa.

Sentencing Russell in his absence, a judge described him as "exceptionally dangerous and manipulative".

He had admitted the murders during a week-long spree in October 2020.

A jury also found him guilty of rape on Thursday after a retrial at Warwick Crown Court.

The court heard he had assaulted Ms McGregor, who was five months pregnant, just hours after she showed him a picture of her baby scan.

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Police bodycam footage shows the moment Anthony Russell was arrested after one of the largest manhunts in recent years

Mr Justice Wall told the court whole-life orders were only for "exceptionally serious" cases.

"I have no doubt that this is a case which falls fairly and squarely within the description," he said.

"Each [of the deaths] was the result of a separate murderous act which was sustained and brutal."

"You will remain in custody for the rest or your life and will never be eligible to apply to the parole board for your release."

Sati Ruck, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said while the reasons behind Russell's killing spree may never be known, it was clear "all the attacks were deliberate, cold-hearted and designed to achieve his own ends".

She added Russell's decision to deny raping Ms McGregor, despite "the strength of the circumstantial evidence" against him, had forced her family to "relive the tragic circumstances around her death at trial".

The court heard Russell, described as a "rather sad and pathetic individual" by his own barrister, had refused to attend the sentencing hearing on Friday.

Attempts to get him in a prison van resulted in staff being put in "situations of danger", the court was told.

West Midlands Police said it believed Mr Williams, 32, was killed due to Russell's "mistaken belief that he was in a relationship with his girlfriend".

Russell, of Riley Square, Coventry, strangled him on 21 October with a lanyard, before leaving the body under his bed, where it was found five days later with 87 injuries.

He then strangled Mr Williams' 58-year-old mother in an attack which saw him inflict 113 separate injuries.

Officers suspect Russell "confessed to David's killing" and "then killed Julie to stop her from speaking to the police", said Det Supt Shaun Edwards, of West Midlands Police.

Police said there was no known link between Russell and Nicole McGregor

Ms McGregor's body was discovered in woods on 29 October, three days after she was strangled by Russell in Newbold Comyn.

The court heard that just three hours after meeting Russell, the 31-year-old had agreed to walk into the woodland with him.

"We suggest that the defendant lured Nicole on to the Comyn, not for sex but more likely for drugs," said prosecutor Zoe Johnson QC.

After the murder, heroin-user Russell pretended to help Ms McGregor's partner look for her.

The court heard he had told her partner, the baby's father, "I bet you can't wait for it to be born", despite knowing he had raped and killed her.

A victim impact statement read to the court from Ms McGregor's mother Maggie said the death had "destroyed" her family.

"[Nicole] was caring, she was kind and behind her barriers, she had a heart of gold."

A statement from Julie Williams' sister Carol said: "Sentencing will not bring our family back but we hope it will stop the defendant from committing these evil crimes on any more families."

Julie Williams and her son David Williams were found dead at separate addresses

The three deaths prompted one of the biggest UK manhunts in recent years.

Russell fled Leamington by attacking and stealing a car from a 78-year-old man.

He was eventually arrested after police spotted the stolen Ford C-Max parked on a road near Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, and found Russell on the back seat.

During sentencing, the judge described Russell as "a man prepared to use very significant violence on anyone".

"You are exceptionally dangerous to those who know you, and those who do not.

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