Man murdered partner and tried to chop up her body while pretending to her mother she was still alive

Daily Mail​

9 hours ago

An 'evil' killer has admitted murdering and decapitating his 21-year-old girlfriend before texting her mother pretending to be her.
Ewan Methven killed Phoenix Spencer-Horn at their home in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, last November.
The 27-year-old postman later dialled 999 himself insisting he had a drug-induced blackout and could not remember what he had done.
But, it emerged he had also mutilated her body and pretended to her mother she was still alive while trawling the internet for porn for hours.
Methven today admitted the gruesome murder as he appeared in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow.
His own lawyer said those close to Ms Spencer-Horn will regard him as 'the personification of evil'.
The first offender now faces a life sentence when he is back in court next month.
Members of Ms Spencer-Horn's grieving relatives were at the hearing today.
The couple had started dating two years before the killing having met at a party and had recently moved into the top floor, one-bedroom flat together.
He worked as a postman while she held part-time jobs at both the Strathaven Hotel and a local coffee shop.
She had been working on Saturday, November 16, and was described as having been in 'good spirits'.
Methven had texted her during her shift complaining of feeling 'lonely' due to her hours. She apologised to her boyfriend.
He had also been working that morning before telling d a colleague he was going home to 'chill'.
The couple ate a takeaway when Ms Spencer-Horn came back from work that night and she contacted her mother, Alison Spencer, to say she was at home having dinner.
It was the last time she heard from her.
At around midnight a downstairs neighbour heard 'loud noise and hurried footsteps'.
Prosecutor Chris McKenna said: 'At that time, around or shortly after midnight on November 16 through to November 17, Methven attacked Phoenix by compressing her neck and repeatedly stabbing her to the head and body.'
Following the attack he repeatedly arranged to buy drugs via contact on his phone.
When Ms Spencer tried to contact her daughter on the Sunday morning, Methven claimed she was not up yet and that he would get her to message when she was.
The sick killer then later pretended to be his girlfriend and sent a text to her mother saying: 'Hey sorry I've just woken up xxx.'
Another claimed she was 'all good'.
The court heard that minutes after this Methven logged on to the adult websites accessing a 'pornographic video site 170 times'. He was also captured on CCTV driving his partner's car.
Concerns were raised when Ms Spencer-Horn did not turn up for work after the weekend, on November 18.
Methven dialled 999 that afternoon stating he had had 'a drug induced psychotic break' and that he had 'killed' his girlfriend.
He told the operator she remained in the hall with a knife beside her and said he'd been taking steroids and cocaine which he believed had been spiked.
Methven claimed he'd 'totally blacked out through the full thing' but mentioned having 'stabbed' and 'choked' her adding: 'It was f****** horrible.'
When asked if she could still be alive, he replied: 'I know she is dead, mate - she is dead.'
Mr McKenna told the court: 'Phoenix's naked and mutilated body with her head decapitated was discovered by police covered up within the hall of their home.
'An attempt had also been made by him to sever her torso, right wrist and ankle from her body.
'There were two bloodstained knives lying next to the mutilated body. A further bloodstained knife was found discarded in the bedroom.'
Mr McKenna said her head had been placed upright next to her body under her left arm.
Methven was described as 'calm'.
Among the remarks Methven made on his arrest were: 'I could not stay here with her like that. I tried to dismember her. I moved her from the bath and put her there.'
After he was put in a police cell, he said: 'I guess this is what my next 25 years look like.'
Ms Spencer-Horn had suffered a total of 20 stab wounds - the fatal one to the chest.
Methven also yesterday pleaded guilty to a charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice including the mutilation of her body and lying to her mother.
His KC Tony Graham said: 'Those related to Phoenix and those who are friends are likely to regard Ewan Methven as the personification of evil.
'While of little moment, he wishes to express publicly how truly sorry he is for the death.
'He recognises the relatives and friends will never be able to forgive him. He will not be able to forgive himself.
'He understands the bereaved will seek an explanation, but he cannot provide an explanation.'
Lord Matthews continued his remand in custody meantime pending reports.
The judge said: 'You have pleaded guilty to an appalling and horrible crime.'
Methven will learn the minimum he will spend behind bars next month.
Following his guilty plea, Detective Chief Inspector Susie Cairns said: 'My thoughts remain with Phoenix's family and friends as they continue to try to come to terms with what happened.
'Methven now faces the consequences of his actions.
'Violence such as this is never acceptable in our communities, and we will work tirelessly to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.'