Man jailed for life over dog-walker murder
Man jailed for life over dog-walker murder
Friday, 29, Jan 2010 04:17
By Alex Steger.
A man has been sentenced to life for murdering a woman while she was walking her dog.
Robert Cusworth, 25, was sentenced at Reading crown court for the murder of teaching assistant Sally Garwood, 34, in Aylesbury, Berkshire, in 2009.
Cusworth admitted the murder of Ms Garwood at a hearing on December 21st. He will serve a minimum of 20 years in prison.
Ms Garwood was found in area of meadowland called Quarrendon Fields in North Aylesbury last July. She had been walking her dog when Mr Cusworth viciously attacked her with a knife. She died shortly afterwards from severe stab wounds.
Carl Barker, reviewing lawyer from Thames Valley Crown Prosecution Service, said: "This was an utterly senseless and motiveless attack by a man on a much smaller woman who was simply enjoying walking her dog on a Saturday afternoon on a popular piece of public land in Aylesbury."
He added: "Robert Cusworth did not know Sally Garwood, let alone harbour any previous bad feelings towards her. As he told police, he was in a bad mood, and he had bought a knife the day before because he felt 'very very angry' and wanted 'to hurt someone.' He had walked to Quarrendon Fields that afternoon armed with the knife knowing that he was 'going to do something really bad.' By a tragic coincidence, Sally Garwood happened to be walking in that part of the fields when Mr Cusworth was waiting for a victim."
Mr Barker added: "We offer our deepest sympathies to all who knew Sally Garwood. She was deeply loved and is desperately missed by her family. A remarkable feature of this tragedy is the courage shown by her husband, parents, brother and sisters throughout their ordeal. We hope that the conclusion of the court proceedings can bring them some measure of comfort."