October 1999
Life for ‘evil’ killer
A man who raped and murdered a 17-year-old student an hour after watching a strip show has been jailed for life.
Swimming instructor Michael Ramsell, 20, killed Rebecca Groves as she walked home from a night out last March.
He was told by Mr Justice Astill at Leicester Crown Court: “Your brutality has deprived a wonderful and trusting young woman of her right to live.”
Ramsell, of Brooks Lane, Whitwick, Leicestershire, pleaded guilty to the murder at a hearing last month.
The court heard on Monday that Rebecca died of asphyxiation, while there was evidence that she had been raped either as she passed out or died.
Mr Justice Astill said: “She trusted you to take her home. You repaid that trust by killing her and feasting your sexual and beastly appetite.”
Rebecca, who was training to be a beautician at Coalville’s Stephenson College, had been attending a 40th birthday party in the Hare and Hounds pub near her home in Thringstone, Leicestershire.
Ramsell was also at the function and had been seen by drinkers shouting encouragement at a stripper.
Michael Stokes QC, for the Crown, told the court that Ramsell had told police that he had gone outside with Rebecca and had unprotected sex with her at her suggestion.
“But that was a lie,” said Mr Stokes.
He said the dead girl had been saving her first sexual encounter for a long term relationship, which at that time she had not had.
Mr Stokes said evidence suggested that Ramsell had offered Rebecca a lift home, but had then attacked her and subdued her by placing his arm around her neck.
He assaulted her when she lost consciousness and then dumped her body, which was found near her home by her stepfather the following morning.
James Hunt QC, defending, said while Ramsell had never admitted to the police he had committed the crime, he told guards about the crime once remanded to prison.
Mr Hunt said: “He admitted to one officer the murder, but said he could not remember the details about what had happened.”
He said Ramsell always maintained Rebecca had consented to sex with him.
After the court hearing, Detective Superintendent Graham Thomas read a statement from the dead girl’s family.
He said: “No matter what sentence is handed out to her killer, nothing can bring her back.
“Ramsell is a brutal and evil man. There is no celebration here today, but justice has been done.”
