The step-brother of teenager Becky Watts has been found guilty of her kidnap and murder and his co-accused girlfriend has been convicted of her manslaughter.
Nathan Matthews, 28, and Shauna Hoare, 21, were accused of the sexually-motivated kidnap and murder of his 16-year-old stepsister Becky.
Today (Weds) the jury returned verdicts at Bristol Crown Court after just three hours of deliberations.
Matthews was also found guilty of conspiracy to kidnap Becky from her home in Bristol in February.
He had already confessed to perverting the course of justice, preventing Becky‘s burial and possessing a stun gun.
Hoare was also found guilty of conspiracy to kidnap, manslaughter, perverting the course of justice, preventing a lawful burial, and possessing a stun gun.
She was found not guilty of murder.
Donovan Demetrius, 28, and James Ireland, 23, were found not guilty of assisting an offender.
Members of the public gallery cheered and gasped as the verdicts were returned.
Hoare stared blankly forward, and Matthews did not lift his head.
After the verdict, Detective Superintendent Mike Courtiour condemned the “heinous” plot to murder Becky – and described Hoare as “cold blooded and calculating”.
He said: “I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Becky‘s family and friends who have shown the utmost composure and dignity during what has undoubtedly been the worst period of their lives.
“Becky Watts was a typical teenager who was well loved and, like most teenagers, had many plans and hopes for the future. Tragically, Nathan Matthews and Shauna Hoare have made sure these hopes and dreams will never be realised.
“Matthews and Hoare concocted a heinous plan to kidnap his step-sister Becky for reasons they have failed to fully disclose other than she occasionally left items on the floor which could have tripped up Matthews’ mother.
“The body of evidence however, has suggested a more sinister motive relating to their deep-seated hatred for Beckyand their twisted sexual desires.
“On February 19th this year, the pair carried out their macabre plan which resulted in the murder of Becky at her home in Crown Hill, Bristol. They then took her body back to their home in Cotton Mill Lane and began the horrific and grotesque task of dismembering her over a matter of days.
“It’s virtually impossible to comprehend this level of depravity.
“In the following days, Matthews lied and misled the police then recruited a number of associates in a bid to concealBecky‘s body and prevent us from discovering what happened to her.
“Karl Demetrius and Jaydene Parsons were involved in assisting Matthews with his attempt to hide Becky‘s body parts in a shed in Barton Court in a number of bags, cases and a box.
“After we arrested Matthews, he quickly realised it was only a matter of time until we found Becky and had sufficient evidence to charge him. This led him to admitting killing her and telling us where he had hidden her body.
“By this time, our search teams were already in close proximity to the Barton Hill address and I believe it was only a matter of hours until we would have searched the shed.
“Although he admitted manslaughter, Matthews has never taken full responsibility for his actions and he has forcedBecky‘s family and friends to endure the additional trauma of a lengthy and extremely distressing trial.
“Hoare has never admitted her role in any capacity demonstrating her cold blooded and calculating nature.”
He added: “This investigation was one of the largest in the Force’s history with over 500 officers utilised throughout its entirety.
“Our primary aim was always to find Becky safe and well but Matthews and Hoare had already made sure this was never going to happen.
“Nothing will ever fill the void in the lives of Becky‘s family and friends but we hope that these verdicts can finally bring them some much deserved comfort.”
