A JURY has found Jordan Taylor guilty of murdering his ex-girlfriend Laura Davies. 

The jury at Chelmsford Crown Court was sent out at 2.30pm yesterday to begin their deliberations on the verdict.

They returned this morning with an unanimous verdict. He will be sentenced tomorrow.

Unemployed Taylor, 22, denied a single charge of murder following the stabbing outside the Essex Horse and Pony Protection Society in Pitsea Hall Lane, Pitsea, on July 3, 2015.

Police were called to the sanctuary at around 8.15pm on the evening of Laura’s murder.

A member of the public had contacted police to say he had just seen a woman being stabbed and that he had seen the man standing over her and he was covered in blood.

Officers searched the grounds close to the flat and found Taylor, who appeared to be hiding near some bushes and was crouched over Laura.

They rushed to the aid of Laura who had been critically injured and Taylor was arrested initially on suspicion of GBH.

The 9cm black handled kitchen knife used to attack Laura was found in the undergrowth nearby.

Despite the best efforts of the officers, paramedics, the Essex Air ambulance and medical staff at Basildon Hospital, Laura sadly died later that night. Taylor was arrested on suspicion of murder and was subsequently charged with the offence.

DCI Marina Ericson, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, led the investigation.

She said: "Taylor had displayed controlling and jealous behaviour and Laura had tried to end their relationship. This came to head on that night in July and resulted in fatal consequences.

"Taylor attacked Laura in the kitchen of the flat and as she tried to get away from him he had followed her through a small garden and in to a grassed area where he then stabbed her repeatedly. She was fighting for her life. His vengeful and violent actions took that young life away.”

Judge Charles Gratwicke QC brought the jury back into the courtroom to hear the verdict this morning. 

During the eight-day trial, the court was told how 21-year-old Laura, who worked as a horse groom, was repeatedly stabbed in the face, chest and arms outside the home they shared together at the sanctuary.

Senior District Crown Prosecutor for East of England Crown Prosecution Service Punam Malhan said: “This was a vicious and sustained attack involving 80 separate wounds. Jordan Taylor’s actions were a result of a jealous rage after Laura ended their relationship. His actions have needlessly ended a young woman’s life and robbed her of any future.

“We are committed to bringing cases of domestic violence to court and to securing a conviction; in this case it means Taylor will spend many years behind bars for this horrific attack.

“Laura’s family, friends, and work colleagues all spoke of a beautiful young woman who loved her work with animals at the sanctuary and we hope the conviction of Mr Taylor for her murder brings some comfort to them in their loss.”

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Miss Davies is thought to have ended their relationship just moments before her death.

Her family said she was unhappy after he had begun telling her what to wear, prevented her going out and had taken control of her bank account.

Ms Davies' mother Dyanne Lambert previously paid tribute to her daughter, saying: "She was a very loving child who lived for her horses.

"She had been riding since she was three years old when she had her first pony.

"She had worked at the horse sanctuary for two and half years and it was her life. We miss her dreadfully and are struggling to come to terms with what happened."

Speaking after the trial, her family said: "We would like to say a special thank you to Pcs Heidi Lee and Andy Quinn who have helped us through this difficult time. Also to the eye witness who called the police on that tragic night and to everybody who has worked on this case.

"Through Laura’s death the world has lost an amazing person and our lives will never be the same without her. Laura was a loving, caring person, who didn’t have a bad bone in her body. She had a passion for animals and devoted her life to caring for and protecting them. 

"Laura was beautiful and loved by all who knew her. She is greatly missed and will always be in our hearts and never forgotten.”

Laura’s friends and colleagues at the Essex Horse and Pony Protection Society have set up a memorial fund in Laura’s name to help fund a project that will benefit the animals she cared so much about. 

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