21/05/2009

Pair Jailed For Body Dumping Murder

A drug dealer and his partner from North Worcestershire have been jailed for murdering a teenager and dumping his body in a recycling bin in May last year.

Amanda Allden, 29, from Catshill in Bromsgrove and Scott Hancox, 34, from Winyates in Redditch, were both found guilty of murder at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday, following a trial lasting nearly four weeks.

The pair had previously admitted to perverting the course of justice. They were given life sentences today with a minimum term of 17 years for Hancox and 15 years for Allden.

Allden and Hancox also received concurrent sentences of three and-a-half years and three years respectively for perverting the course of justice.

Eighteen-year-old Nathan Lyon's body was found on 13 May at a recycling depot in south-east London.

The court heard how Mr Lyons, who was 18 and from the Highgate area of Birmingham, was sent to Redditch to mind drugs on behalf of a Birmingham-based drugs gang. He was then murdered by Allden and Hancox at their flat in Fownhope Close in Winyates when he refused to hand over drugs to them.

The pair, both drug addicts, then told the gang that Lyons had run off with the drugs and the proceeds from selling them.

Mr Justice Penry-Davey said Hancox had "viciously attacked" Nathan Lyons with a wooden club and had been encouraged by Allden.

He said both were "driven by the need for more and more drugs".

Detective Chief Inspector David Morgan, who led the investigation, said: "Our thoughts are with Nathan's family today.

"They have had to wait a full year for this verdict and we hope that they can take some comfort from the length of the sentences handed out.

"The investigation team want to thank them for their co-operation throughout the enquiry and hope that they can now start the slow process of rebuilding their lives."

Regarding Scott Hancox and Amanda Allden, DCI Morgan added: "These two chose a life of crime and would literally go to any lengths to feed their drug habit.

"They were responsible for the most horrific and frenzied attack on Nathan Lyons, a brutal murder that simply beggars belief."

(JM/BMcC)

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