Double-glazing worker GUILTY of Molly McLaren murder

A jilted boyfriend who followed his ex-girlfriend to a gym and repeatedly stabbed her in her car has been jailed for life for murder.

Joshua Stimpson, 26, had posted menacing messages about Molly McLaren on Facebook before he attacked the university student at a retail park in Chatham, Kent last summer.

Miss McLaren had twice contacted police about Stimpson’s behaviour, the second time less than a week before her death, but he ignored their warnings to leave her alone.

A jury today rejected his claims of diminished responsibility due to bipolar disorder and convicted him of murder. 

Judge Adele Williams branded Stimpson’s crime ‘cruel, calculated and cowardly’ as she ordered he serve at least 26 years behind bars.

She told him: ‘This was an act of wickedness. You are a highly-dangerous young man and you will pose a very considerable risk to women for a very considerable period in the future.’

There were cries of ‘Yes’ as the verdict was announced, and some friends and relatives of Miss McLaren hugged each other. 

Molly’s parents Doug and Joanne have sat through the often disturbing trial with their family. Mrs McLaren was in court today.

Stimpson stabbed his ex-girlfriend Molly McLaren 75 times in a gym car park last June

Miss McLaren’s former manager said she was ‘beautiful, lovely-natured and kind-hearted’

Stimpson killed the university student with this kitchen knife after following her to the gym

Stimpson and Miss McLaren had been in a seven-month relationship since late 2016 after meeting on Tinder, but she ended it about two weeks before the fatal attack.

After they split, he began to post things about her online and follow her on nights out.

McLaren confronted Stimpson after he followed her to the gym on June 29 last year and tried to work out in the same room. She left the fitness club after her mother urged her to come home.

But Stimpson followed her into the car park and repeatedly stabbed her as she tried to drive off. CCTV showed him being arrested, covered in blood, after a passer-by bravely tried to stop the attack.

Miss McLaren’s family today thanked the man for his efforts, as they told of their ‘pain, anguish and loss’.

Miss McLaren suffered at least 75 knife wounds and her throat was completely cut, Maidstone Crown Court has heard.

Just minutes before the attack, she had messaged her friends telling them she was ‘looking over her shoulder all the time’ because of her obsessive ex.

Miss McLaren’s mother, Joanne, told the court via a statement that her daughter was ‘increasingly anxious’ about a series of derogatory comments Stimpson had posted online, including the false claim that she was taking cocaine. 

CCTV from the gym in Chatham showed Molly confronting Stimpson after he followed her 

CCTV showed Stimpson following Miss McLaren into a gym. He was then seen being arrested after launching his savage attack on her outside (left and right)

In one post, Stimpson had simply written: ‘There’s more to come.’

Ms McLaren’s mother said that her daughter had told her that Stimpson had bipolar disorder. 

She wrote: ‘I just feel completely numb and broken. It doesn’t feel real.’ 

The detective on the case paid tribute to Miss McLaren’s parents Doug and Joanne after the verdict today

Speaking after today’s verdicts, senior investigating officer Detective Sergeant Ali Worton paid tribute Miss McLaren’s family.

DS Worton said: ‘Molly was a popular and ambitious young woman with her whole life ahead of her but this was stolen by Stimpson in the most brutal way imaginable.

‘He has proven to be an extremely dangerous individual and needs to spend a lengthy period of time in prison where he can cause no further harm to innocent people. 

‘It was clear to the jury and us that Molly’s death was pre-planned and that Stimpson is a cold and calculated killer rather than somebody who does not have the mental capacity to control himself. 

‘By denying murder and failing to accept responsibility for his actions, he forced Molly’s family and friends to suffer even further distress through the tough ordeal of a crown court trial.

 ‘I would like to pay tribute to Molly’s family for the strength and dignity they have shown throughout and I hope this result is of some comfort.’ 

Stimpson denied murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility, claiming he had a ‘borderline personality disorder’ after his parents split up when he was young.

Miss McLaren was trying to drive away from Stimpson in her Citroen when he attacked

In addition to the murder weapon, police recovered two Stanley knives and a pick axe from Stimpson’s car at the scene 

Consultant Dr Shahid Majid said Stimpson had a ‘hypersensitivity to any rejection’ after his parents separated and, when his relationship with Miss McLaren ended, he switched to trying to ‘control, frighten and harm her’.

But prosecutor Philip Bennetts QC argued that Stimpson had ‘carefully considered the execution of Molly’ and his actions before her death showed he was ‘following her movements, waiting for the moment that he has chosen to kill her’.

Two previous girlfriends of Stimpson told how he stalked them after they split from him.

Alexandra Dale said he would follow her and take pictures of her, asking why she was wearing certain clothes. He also sent her a photo of her back garden and threatened to drown her on holiday.

Another of his ex-girlfriends, Leah Hubbard, said he spat drink all over her in a nightclub after they split, then waited outside for hours for her to leave.

Police force to investigate itself over its handling of case after court hears killer with history of stalking was twice told to stay away from the victim by officers

Stimpson, who had a history of stalking ex girlfriends, was twice warned by police to stay away from Miss McLaren

Joshua Stimpson was warned twice by police officers to stay away from Molly McLaren before he stabbed her to death.

He started posting messages on Facebook claiming she had been taking drugs five days after they had broken up.

She reported the posts to Facebook but nothing happened, so she went with her mother Joanna to North Kent Police Station.

A police officer called Stimpson in their presence, put him on speakerphone and warned him to stop or face prosecution.

When the officer said: ‘We wouldn’t want Molly to come to the police station again about you, would we?’, Stimpson replied: ‘Wouldn’t we?’

The 26-year-old was spoken to by police for a second time on June 27 last year, just two days before her death.

Alexandra Dale, who dated him in 2013, had also reported his behaviour towards her to police.

Kent Police reported itself to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, now known as the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), after Ms McLaren’s death.

Molly twice reported Stimpson to the police, who spoke to him to warn him to leave her alone

A spokesman for the force said: ‘Following careful assessment it was determined that this matter could be investigated by Kent Police’s professional standards department.’

The force said the inquiry would be finalised once criminal proceedings were concluded.

In their statement after the case, Miss McLaren’s family said more needs to be done the raise awareness of digital stalking and its dangers. 

Victim’s heartbroken family thank the hero who tried to save her as they reveal: ‘We are serving lifetime of pain, anguish and loss’ 

A brave bystander tried to intervene in the deadly attack on Molly McLaren, tackling Stimpson in a bid to stop him. 

Benjamin Morton, tried to pull Stimpson off Molly and shut his leg in the door. He also tried to grab his leg but it slipped from his grip because of the blood on it.

After Stimpson was jailed for life today, Miss McLaren’s family paid tribute to Mr Morton and told of their anguish.

Miss McLaren’s mother outside court. The family have praised the man who attempted to stop the attack and called for more to be done to raise awareness of stalking

Their full statement said: ‘The last six months have been horrid beyond belief.

‘We couldn’t have got through it without the love and support of family and friends.

‘The number of Molly’s friends has staggered us, the like of which we have never known. Those that have visited and shared in our pain have been a great help.

‘We would like to thank Kent Police for their diligence collecting and collating the evidence. We would also like to thank the prosecution team for expediting the due process of the law.

Miss McLaren’s family said they are ‘serving a lifetime of pain, anguish and loss’

‘The full extent of the digital stalking of Molly by Joshua Stimpson may never be known.

‘We would like to thank Benjamin Moreton for his brave efforts at the carpark when he tried to intervene, and hope one day to thank him personally.

‘The contrast in morality between these two people could not be more profound.

‘However, in light of this case, we feel that there needs to be more awareness over the dangers of stalking and the need for people to report any concerns over stalking to the police.

‘The verdict has brought us a small measure of comfort, but it seems that nothing will take away the pain or allow us to come to terms with our Molly being taken from us. We are serving a lifetime of pain, anguish and loss.

‘This has affected so many people’s lives and our hearts go out to each and every one of you.

‘Our focus now turns to making sure Molly will live on through The Molly McLaren Foundation, helping people with eating disorders.

‘Thank you all for your ongoing support with this.

‘A light has gone out in all of our hearts but shines bright as a star forever glowing.

‘We love you Molly.’ 

From meeting on Tinder to murder: How Joshua Stimpson grew obsessed with Molly McLaren after couple split 

July 2016 – Molly McLaren, from Cobham in Kent, and Joshua Stimpson, from nearby Wouldham, meet on Tinder and start talking.

November – The pair meet in person for the first time.

March 2017 – They spend time apart after Ms McLaren decides she wants to end their relationship.

Stimpson was pictured buying a knife as he planned the horrific knife attack

June 17 – Ms McLaren tells Stimpson their relationship is over during a night out in Maidstone.

June 19 – A relative tells Ms McLaren Stimpson has been posting derogatory messages about her on Facebook claiming she has been taking drugs.

June 20 – Ms McLaren applies for a job as a receptionist at Nuffield Gym in Medway Valley Park.

June 21 – Ms McLaren tells a friend in a WhatsApp message that she is scared of Stimpson.

June 22 – Ms McLaren and her mother Joanne go to North Kent Police Station to report the messages. An officer calls Stimpson in their presence and tells him to stop or risk prosecution.

June 27 – Stimpson joins the same gym where Ms McLaren applied to work.

– He is spoken to for a second time by police when the messages continue.

– At 5pm he buys a Subatier paring knife from Asda in Chatham. He buys a Saxon pickaxe from the nearby Homebase 24 minutes later.

June 28 – Ms McLaren posts a selfie on Instagram about her plans for a night out before going to the Ship and Trades pub in Chatham. Stimpson is spotted staring at her and her friends from the smoking area.

Stimpson followed Miss McLaren to a pub after she posted this picture on Instagram saying where she was going

June 29 – 10.06am. Ms McLaren arrives at the Dockside retail outlet in Chatham for a workout at PureGym.

– 10.25am. Stimpson arrives and enters the same workout studio as Ms McLaren, placing his mat near to hers. CCTV shows him pacing up and down the stairs before going into the studio.

– 10.45am. Ms McLaren texts her mother and says: ‘Mum he’s turned up at the gym and come next to me.’

– 10.54am. She calls her mother and is told to go straight home and drive safely.

– 10.57am. Stimpson leaves the gym. Ms McLaren leaves three minutes later.

– 11.02am. In her last ever message, Ms McLaren tells friends on WhatsApp: ‘Feel like I’m f****** looking over my shoulder all the time.’

– 11.03am. Witnesses dial 999 as Stimpson yanks the door of the university student’s car open and launches into the frenzied attack while she is inside. Passerby Benjamin Morton tries to stop him but Stimpson continues, stabbing her more than 75 times with the kitchen knife he bought just days before.

– He is arrested moments later when police find him pacing up and down by the car covered in blood. The knife and pickaxe are seized from his car.

– He replies ‘no comment’ when interviewed by police.

June 30 – Stimpson is charged with murder.

January 23, 2018 – Stimpson stands trial at Maidstone Crown Court after admitting manslaughter by diminished responsibility but denying murder.

February 6 – A jury unanimously finds Stimpson guilty of murder.