Shropshire Star

Jamie Reynolds jailed for rest of his life for Georgia murder

Jamie Reynolds was today given a whole life sentence for the murder of Telford teenager Georgia Williams.

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Georgia Williams' father Steve, centre, mother Lynnette, right, and sister Scarlett, left, arrive at Stafford Crown Court for the sentencing of Jamie Reynolds

It came after Stafford Crown Court heard how Reynolds lured Georgia Williams to his home where he hanged her.

Mr Justice Wilkie, sentencing, agreed with a psychiatric report that Reynolds "had the potential to progressing to become a serial killer" in a meticulously planned and executed crime carried out on Sunday, May 26, while his parents were away on holiday.

Details of Georgia's last moments were revealed as pictures were released showing Reynolds on the run following the murder, apparently relaxed as he visited a shop and a cinema.

Police searching Reynolds' home discovered 16,800 pornographic images, 72 extreme videos and 40 obscene stories written by him, it was revealed at Stafford Crown Court today where the 23-year-old is being sentenced.

Georgia Williams' father Steve, centre, mother Lynnette, right, and sister Scarlett, left, arrive at Stafford Crown Court for the sentencing of Jamie Reynolds

The court heard he had taken innocent photographs of girls from social networking sites and added ropes around their neck and sexual obscenities.

On one such photograph he had written "no please don't hang me, too late, you hang until dead".

Prosecuting Mr David Crigman said: "The predominant theme is a fatal assault on a woman."

He said the stories Reynolds had written ended with "getting a rope around the girl's neck".

He added: "That was what he did to Georgia Williams. He hanged her in his home."

Evidence so extreme it would cause "profound distress" if it were to be made public will be heard today, a judge at Stafford Crown Court was told.

The court heard he and Georgia were part of a wider group of friends and she had no reason not to trust him.

Prosecuting, Mr Crigman requested reporting restrictions to secure the anonymity of women whose evidence will be heard to "spare various witnesses from substantial distress, trauma and embarrassment".

He said some evidence was "capable of causing profound distress" to Georgia's family who sat in court.

  • On the run: Photos show Jamie Reynolds after Georgia Williams' murder

The court heard police had found photographs taken by the defendant of Georgia shortly before he killed her and immediately after.

A number of female witnesses will be anonymous throughout the proceedings as they were victims of physical assault, harassment, attempt of detention, social media interaction or any images corrupted by the defendant, the court heard.

Reynolds had previously denied murdering the 17-year-old at his home in Avondale Road, Wellington, on Sunday, May 26 this year, but later changed his plea.

Georgia was last seen at 7.30pm on May 26. When she did not return home, a nationwide search was mounted for sightings of her.

Reynolds was arrested at a budget hotel in Glasgow on suspicion of kidnapping her on Thursday, May 30.

Georgia's body was found in woodland on the Nant-y-Garth pass, in north Wales, near Wrexham, five days after she disappeared.

Photographs released today show Reynolds visiting a cinema in Wrexham as he went on the run. He is also captured on CCTV filling his van with petrol in Oswestry, entering an M6 services and shopping in H&M in Glasgow.

In the dock today, wearing a dark grey suit, a grey shirt and dark purple tie and glasses he spoke only to confirm his name. Throughout the hearing, Reynolds, whose dark curly hair, small goatee beard and moustache were cropped short, sat with his head bowed.

Georgia's parents Steven Williams, a detective constable with West Mercia Police, and Lynnette were joined in court by her older sister Scarlett.

At the last hearing Judge Mr Justice Wilkie said "extensive psychiatric reports" had been carried out on Reynolds and he had to consider if his was an "appropriate case for a full life term."

Judge Justice Wilkie said: "Some details are of such a nature for it to be given wider publicity would cause untold distress."

A post mortem examination showed she had died as a result of pressure being applied to her neck between 8pm and 9pm on May 26.

People in Wellington and the wider Shropshire community were devastated by the teenager's death and about 800 people turned out to her funeral at All Saints' Church in Wellington on June 14.

The Georgia Williams Trust was launched to continue the teenager's legacy and raise money for other young people to take part in the sort of adventurous activities she loved.

Wristbands printed with the trust slogan Free Your Spirit – Join In and the image of a ferret, after Georgia's nickname, sold out in weeks and a second batch of 10,000 was released.

Georgia was a corporal in the air cadets and a former head girl of Ercall Wood Technology College in Wellington.

At the time of her death she was a member of the student council at New College and part of the match day safety team at AFC Telford United.

  • See Friday's Shropshire Star for full round-up and reactions

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