A security guard who murdered an army veteran and tried to kill a man he met on the dating app Grindr has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 37 years.
Paul Taylor, 56, disappeared while driving from Scotland to England in October last year, with his remains later found in woodland near Carlisle, Cumbria, in May.
Jack Crawley, 20, was this week found guilty of murdering Mr Taylor, fatally attacking him with a claw hammer or mallet.
Crawley was also convicted of attempting to murder a second man with a hammer after they met through Grindr.
He was out on bail for the killing of Mr Taylor when he attacked the man in York, North Yorkshire, in January.
Crawley, from Carlisle, was sentenced on Wednesday to at least 37 years in prison for the murder. He was also handed a 15-year sentence for the attempted murder, which will run concurrently.
Detective Superintendent Ian Hussey, the senior investigation officer, welcomed the sentencing.
He added: “From the very start of this, Crawley has lied about his actions – from initially denying even knowing Paul, to later denying he murdered him, instead concocting a story around self-defence.
“Today, Crawley is behind bars where he rightly belongs, and he will now spend a considerable amount of his adult life in prison.
“I would like to offer my deepest condolences to Paul’s family and friends for their loss.
“I can only imagine what they have had to go through over the past year and I would like to commend them for remaining dignified and composed throughout the whole investigation and trial, despite being forced to hear some shocking and hurtful evidence.”
Mr Taylor, from Annan in Dumfries and Galloway, was last seen on 17 October 2023.
His blue Vauxhall Corsa was driven south to Carlisle that evening and was days later found abandoned in Langwathby in northern Cumbria.
Mr Taylor’s Vauxhall Corsa. Pic: Cumbria Constabulary
Cumbria Constabulary launched a murder inquiry but did not find Mr Taylor’s body until May when Crawley, who had been charged in February, told police where to find him in the Finglandrigg Wood area west of Carlisle.
According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), attempts had been made to burn Mr Taylor’s body.
Senior crown prosecutor Katie Marsden said the CPS, Cumbria Constabulary and North Yorkshire Police joined forces – piecing together the forensic evidence, CCTV footage and phone location data to build a strong case against Crawley.
The day after burying Mr Taylor’s body in a shallow grave, Crawley was said to have attempted to sell his victim’s car, with photos of the vehicle recovered from his phone.
However, while attempting to drive the Corsa he crashed in Langwathby before fleeing the scene.
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During the trial at Carlisle Crown Court, Crawley had admitted manslaughter but denied murder. He claimed Mr Taylor’s death was the result of a car theft gone wrong.
A post-mortem examination showed Mr Taylor had been struck on the head at least 10 times. The victim also had two injuries on his left arm.
Mr Taylor had suffered multiple injuries. Pic: Cumbria Constabulary
The CPS said: “A specific cause of death could not be determined due to the passage of time but is likely to have been caused by blows to the head.”
According to court reports during the trial, jurors heard how Crawley and Mr Taylor had met previously for sex, unbeknownst to the victim’s family and wife.
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During his police interview in relation to the attempted murder in York, Crawley claimed he was acting in self-defence when he hit the man with a hammer.
Following Crawley’s conviction, Mr Taylor’s family said their “lives and world were completely torn apart” by the murder.
In a statement released through Cumbria Constabulary, they described Mr Taylor as a “gentle and loving” husband and dad.
They added: “For many years Paul worked to protect his country giving up time being a husband and father. Now was the time for us to be that family unit and we grieve the loss of that and of our future.
“Losing Paul in these circumstances and the torment and hurt this has caused has been horrendous and indescribable.
“Paul will be dearly missed and he will remain in our thoughts forever.”
In light of the case, Cumbria Constabulary is urging those who are part of the men who have sex with men (MSM) community to come forward if they believe they may have been targeted by Crawley or others.
The force said: “All reports will be dealt with the highest degree of sensitivity and privacy.”
