A man from Carlisle has been sentenced to 37 years in prison today (23 October) for the brutal murder of Annan man, Paul Taylor.
Jack Crawley, aged 20, of no fixed address, was sentenced today at Carlisle Crown Court for the premeditated and unprovoked attack in October 2023 which resulted in the death of Mr Taylor.
The 20-year-old admitted to the manslaughter of Mr Taylor claiming it was a ‘robbery gone wrong’, however a jury found him guilty of murder after a trial in October 2024.
He has been sentenced to life, with a minimum term of 37 years in prison.
Crawley was also sentenced for attempted murder following a separate incident in North Yorkshire in January 2024. For this he received a 15-year sentence, to be served concurrently.
Police were initially called on 18 October 2023 with a report that Mr Taylor was missing from his home address in Annan and hadn’t been seen since the previous evening.
An extensive investigation was launched by Cumbria’s Major Incident Team which uncovered CCTV showing that Mr Taylor had travelled into Carlisle in the early hours of 18 October and never returned home. His car was later found abandoned in Langwathby on 19 October.
The investigation revealed that Crawley and Mr Taylor were known to each other, and that Crawley had met Mr Taylor on the night of 18 October and attacked him with an object, thought to be a claw hammer or mallet, resulting in his death.
Crawley then disposed of Mr Taylor’s body by burying him in a shallow grave near to a burn site in Finglandrigg Wood, near to Carlisle.
The next day, Crawley attempted to sell Mr Taylor’s car, with photos of the vehicle being recovered from Crawley’s phone.
He then attempted to drive the car, a blue Vauxhall Corsa, to Appleby, however crashed the car in Langwathby before fleeing from the scene.
Crawley was charged with murder on 15 February of this year (2024).
It was not until 1 May 2024 when Crawley finally told detectives where he had buried Mr Taylor’s body.
Following the sentencing the judge, The Honourable Mr Justice Goose said that Crawley was a “highly dangerous young man” and that his offending had caused “unimaginable grief”.
Speaking after the sentencing Senior Investigation Officer Detective Superintendent Ian Hussey said: “I am pleased that our investigation has resulted in justice for Paul and his family.
“Paul was the victim of a premediated and calculated attack by Crawley who arrived to meet Paul prepared to commit a serious act of violence.
“Paul’s body was then taken to a remote woodland near Carlisle and hidden in undergrowth with Crawley only finally admitting where he’d concealed Paul’s body several months after he’d been charged with murder.
“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 an 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.
“Again, I would finally like to thank all the officers, staff, prosecuting counsel the Crown Prosecution Service and our Crown Prosecution colleagues whose hard work on these investigations has allowed us to successfully prosecute Crawley for his crimes and get justice for Paul’s loved ones.”
We’d like to encourage anyone who has any concerns relating to any incidents linked to the investigation which have caused concern or distress to make a report to Cumbria Police. We would also encourage anyone who is part of the ‘MSM’ community and believes they may have been targeted by Crawley or anyone else, to come forward. All reports will be dealt with the highest degree of sensitivity and privacy. Make a report here: www.cumbria.police.uk/report-it or call 101.
Crawley was also sentenced for possession of an offensive weapon and burglary. He received two four-month custodial sentences, to be served concurrently.