A footballer has been given a life sentence after pleading guilty to the murder of his 15-year-old girlfriend in a “ferocious attack”. Andrew Hall, 18, admitted fatally stabbing Megan-Leigh Peat 60 times with a bread and vegetable knife in the head and body.
Andrew Hall, 18, admitted fatally stabbing Megan-Leigh Peat 60 times with a bread and vegetable knife in the head and body
Megan, from Westoning, Bedfordshire, died from her injuries and severe blood loss at around 1.30am on June 9. Hall and Megan had argued over his jealous behaviour at a pub before they went to a mutual friend’s house, where the attack took place.
Hall was studying at Stoke City academy at the time of the murder and was on the brink of signing as a professional player with the club. Judge Richard Foster gave Hall a life sentence with a minimum term of 10 years at Luton Crown Court.
He told Hall: “Megan Peat will never experience the thrill and success of exam results, going on to higher education, or perhaps being a bridesmaid at a best friend’s wedding or an 18th birthday party.
“Her life ended in your hands at 15 years old. Only you know why you did what you did that night and what the catalyst was for such a ferocious attack. It is clear you were jealous of her innocent friendships with others.”
Prosecutor Iain Wicks told the court that on the night Hall murdered Megan, the pair had been drinking with friends at the Bumble Bee pub in Flitwick while watching a Euro 2012 match. The couple began arguing about Hall’s jealousy, an issue which regularly caused problems throughout their nine-month relationship.
Megan left the pub to return home to her mother and stepfather, telling friends she “couldn’t do it any more” and was “scared” following the arguments. But when the argument continued by text message, Megan was determined to rejoin Hall at the White Hart in Ampthill to reconcile their differences.
Mr Wicks said the pair were last seen leaving the pub hand-in-hand with the keys to their friend’s empty house in Ampthill. Hall was next seen around an hour later when he returned to the White Hart covered in blood, confessing to bouncers, “I think I just killed my girlfriend. Oh my God, I love her so much, what have I done?”
Megan was found by officers in a pool of blood with 60 stab wounds to her head, neck and upper chest. Next to her were two knives both used in the attack, the bread knife and another described to the court as a “vegetable knife”.
Hall was estimated to be around two-and-a-half times the drink-drive limit. Peter McCartney, mitigating, said the attack was a “catastrophic loss of control”. He said: “Mr Hall is extremely remorseful. He appreciates the extreme distress and bereavement he has caused to her family.
“He is at a loss to know how he could have lost control to the extent that he did.” Sky News
