Jonathan Clarke

A Shropshire man was this afternoon found guilty of murdering a student who was tied to a tree and doused in fuel before being set on fire.

Jonathan Clarke, 19, of Queen Elizabeth Way, Malinslee, Telford, was found guilty of Simon Everitt’s murder by a majority verdict at Norwich Crown Court.

He was found guilty along with his co-accused Maria Chandler, 40, and Jimi-Lee Stewart, 25, both of Yarmouth.

All three were remanded in custody and the case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports.

The jury heard how the trio kidnapped the 17-year-old student and put him into the boot of a car to take him to some nearby woods in Mautby, near Yarmouth, in June last year.

Chandler drove the car to the secluded swamp where Mr Everitt was tied to the tree with rope. Stewart poured fuel over him before Clarke threw a lit match at him. The murder came after both Clarke, Stewart and their murder victim had a relationship with the same woman.

She had finished the relationship with Stewart the day before and had reconciled her relationship with Mr Everitt.

The victim - Simon Everitt

The jury was told how the two men wanted to “scare” Mr Everitt and had planned to tie him to the back of the car and drive off. Stewart said he wanted to cause him serious injuries but did not want to kill him.

A huge missing person inquiry was launched after Mr Everitt’s father reported him missing. The engineering student was last seen riding his bike but was not seen again until his burned body was discovered in the woods days later.

The jury returned majority verdicts on Clarke and Chandler this afternoon after three days of deliberations. An unanimous verdict was returned on Stewart.

Clarke was arrested in Telford after moving to the town with his girlfriend to start a new life.

Clarke had denied murder throughout claiming he was sitting on a beach in Great Yarmouth at the time.

Chandler said she kept quiet because she was scared as she had been “tortured and threatened” by Clarke who was known to his friends as “Munch”.

By Kirsty Smallman