Teenager 'murdered girlfriend, 17, by setting her on fire

I know the UK don't have the death penalty, but I'm sure a few people there wished they had kept some kind of provision for extreme cruelty and when the suspect is clearly guilty

Enlarge

Stewart Blackburn, 18, is accused of murdering his girlfriend by setting her on fire

A teenager burned his 17-year-old girlfriend to death in an act branded 'barbaric and evil' to a murder trial today.

Stewart Blackburn, 18, deliberately doused Jessica McCagh in petrol and set her alight in a crime of 'extreme wickedness', jurors were told.

Prosecutors said Miss McCagh lost her life in the 'most awful of circumstances' and 'paid the ultimate price' for Blackburn's temper on April 25.

The Crown said the case against Blackburn was powerful and compelling, and it insisted he was guilty of murder 'pure and simple'.

Blackburn admits killing his 17-year-old girlfriend at his home in Arbroath, Angus, but denies her murder.

His trial at the High Court in Livingston entered its ninth day today and saw the prosecution and defence give their closing speeches to the jury.

Presenting the case for the prosecution, Solicitor General Frank Mulholland QC told the trial: 'Jessica McCagh was 17 when she died.

'She was a healthy girl loved by her family with her whole life stretching ahead of her and she died in the most awful of circumstances. She literally burned to death.

'The Crown case is that she was burned to death at the hands of the accused, Stewart Blackburn, who threw petrol over her in significant quantities - at least a litre - and then lit the petrol with a naked flame, engulfing her in flames and causing her horrific and inevitable death.'

He went on: 'To be deliberately soaked in petrol, set on fire and engulfed in flames is a crime, I would suggest, of extreme wickedness.

'It is difficult to envisage more cruel or sadistic treatment of another human being.'

Urging the jurors to return a verdict of guilty to murder, he told them: 'If you do that, I would suggest you'll be rightfully convicting a man who is guilty of murder, guilty of committing a barbaric and evil act against a defenceless young woman.'

The trial has heard previously that Blackburn confessed in a police interview to 'slapping' a jerry can of petrol at Miss McCagh during a row.

He said that after the argument he lit a joint which ignited the blaze.

But the Crown insisted today that Miss McCagh's death was no reckless accident and said it was proved beyond reasonable doubt that Blackburn had murdered his girlfriend.

About a litre of petrol was allegedly poured on 17-year-old Jessica McCagh before she was set alight. Her last words to her father were: 'I don't want to die'

Mr Mulholland said Blackburn was 'drunk and angry' on the night in question.

He said Blackburn had pushed Miss McCagh into a hedge that night and punched her on the side of her head with a force able to knock her off her feet.

'I would suggest that this quite simply is the actions of a violent thug,' said Mr Mulholland.

'I would suggest clearly, from the evidence, that Jessica paid the ultimate price for his foul temper with her life.'

He also pointed to evidence that Blackburn had previously threatened to burn down his girlfriend's family home with petrol.

Enlarge

The victim's parents, Garry and Marian McCagh, emerge from the High Court in Livingstone

Pointing to scientific evidence suggesting at least a litre of petrol was involved in the fire, Mr Mulholland said that amount could not have ended up on Miss McCagh as a result of a momentary act.

He said: 'This was not some instinctive, instantaneous reaction in temper. I would suggest it was a deliberate act.'

The prosecutor also insisted Blackburn's explanations for what happened that night 'beggar belief', saying lit cigarettes or cannabis reefers do not ignite petrol.

And he claimed Blackburn told a 'multitude of lies' during his police interviews.

The QC told the jury: 'What a terrifying end for such a young girl with her whole life ahead of her.

'What a terrible end for such a young girl at the hands of the boyfriend who professed to love her.'

Neil Murray QC, defending, said the evidence in this case was 'horrific', but he urged the jury not to be swayed by emotion and to look at the facts.

He said they must not speculate or make up conclusions in the absence of evidence.

He said the jury should return a verdict of culpable homicide, saying the Crown had not proved murder.

'Stewart Blackburn was not murderous. Stupid? Yes. Lying? Yes. Murderous? No.'

To a hushed court-room, he added: 'What a terrifying end for such a young girl with her whole life ahead of her.

'What a terrible end for a young girl at the hands of the boyfriend who professed he loved her.'

The court heard previously how Blackburn had woke Jessica's parents, Garry and Marion, at 4am on April 25 to tell them Jessica was dead.

Mr McCagh, who raced to try and save her, made it just in time to hear his daughter say: 'I don't want to die, Dad. I love you.'

She was rushed by ambulance to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee but slipped away soon after despite the attentions of medical staff.

The trial continues.

Read more:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1232365/Wicked-teenager-murdered-girlfriend-17-pouring-petrol-setting-fire.html#ixzz0YScA2nMQ

Damn, she was cute too.

No, he should be made to suffer for what he did, having him die isn't a punishment to anybody but those who care about him

"Oh this new generation is doomed!"

"Tsk tsk...... youngsters!"

"Our society is going downhill"

"These are the effects of turning away from religion"

................etc

Did she at least cheat on him? If so, its ok./joking

I know the UK don't have the death penalty, but I'm sure a few people there wished they had kept some kind of provision for extreme cruelty and when the suspect is clearly guilty

Enlarge

Stewart Blackburn, 18, is accused of murdering his girlfriend by setting her on fire

A teenager burned his 17-year-old girlfriend to death in an act branded 'barbaric and evil' to a murder trial today.

Stewart Blackburn, 18, deliberately doused Jessica McCagh in petrol and set her alight in a crime of 'extreme wickedness', jurors were told.

Prosecutors said Miss McCagh lost her life in the 'most awful of circumstances' and 'paid the ultimate price' for Blackburn's temper on April 25.

The Crown said the case against Blackburn was powerful and compelling, and it insisted he was guilty of murder 'pure and simple'.

Blackburn admits killing his 17-year-old girlfriend at his home in Arbroath, Angus, but denies her murder.

His trial at the High Court in Livingston entered its ninth day today and saw the prosecution and defence give their closing speeches to the jury.

Presenting the case for the prosecution, Solicitor General Frank Mulholland QC told the trial: 'Jessica McCagh was 17 when she died.

'She was a healthy girl loved by her family with her whole life stretching ahead of her and she died in the most awful of circumstances. She literally burned to death.

'The Crown case is that she was burned to death at the hands of the accused, Stewart Blackburn, who threw petrol over her in significant quantities - at least a litre - and then lit the petrol with a naked flame, engulfing her in flames and causing her horrific and inevitable death.'

He went on: 'To be deliberately soaked in petrol, set on fire and engulfed in flames is a crime, I would suggest, of extreme wickedness.

'It is difficult to envisage more cruel or sadistic treatment of another human being.'

Urging the jurors to return a verdict of guilty to murder, he told them: 'If you do that, I would suggest you'll be rightfully convicting a man who is guilty of murder, guilty of committing a barbaric and evil act against a defenceless young woman.'

The trial has heard previously that Blackburn confessed in a police interview to 'slapping' a jerry can of petrol at Miss McCagh during a row.

He said that after the argument he lit a joint which ignited the blaze.

But the Crown insisted today that Miss McCagh's death was no reckless accident and said it was proved beyond reasonable doubt that Blackburn had murdered his girlfriend.

About a litre of petrol was allegedly poured on 17-year-old Jessica McCagh before she was set alight. Her last words to her father were: 'I don't want to die'

Mr Mulholland said Blackburn was 'drunk and angry' on the night in question.

He said Blackburn had pushed Miss McCagh into a hedge that night and punched her on the side of her head with a force able to knock her off her feet.

'I would suggest that this quite simply is the actions of a violent thug,' said Mr Mulholland.

'I would suggest clearly, from the evidence, that Jessica paid the ultimate price for his foul temper with her life.'

He also pointed to evidence that Blackburn had previously threatened to burn down his girlfriend's family home with petrol.

Enlarge

The victim's parents, Garry and Marian McCagh, emerge from the High Court in Livingstone

Pointing to scientific evidence suggesting at least a litre of petrol was involved in the fire, Mr Mulholland said that amount could not have ended up on Miss McCagh as a result of a momentary act.

He said: 'This was not some instinctive, instantaneous reaction in temper. I would suggest it was a deliberate act.'

The prosecutor also insisted Blackburn's explanations for what happened that night 'beggar belief', saying lit cigarettes or cannabis reefers do not ignite petrol.

And he claimed Blackburn told a 'multitude of lies' during his police interviews.

The QC told the jury: 'What a terrifying end for such a young girl with her whole life ahead of her.

'What a terrible end for such a young girl at the hands of the boyfriend who professed to love her.'

Neil Murray QC, defending, said the evidence in this case was 'horrific', but he urged the jury not to be swayed by emotion and to look at the facts.

He said they must not speculate or make up conclusions in the absence of evidence.

He said the jury should return a verdict of culpable homicide, saying the Crown had not proved murder.

'Stewart Blackburn was not murderous. Stupid? Yes. Lying? Yes. Murderous? No.'

To a hushed court-room, he added: 'What a terrifying end for such a young girl with her whole life ahead of her.

'What a terrible end for a young girl at the hands of the boyfriend who professed he loved her.'

The court heard previously how Blackburn had woke Jessica's parents, Garry and Marion, at 4am on April 25 to tell them Jessica was dead.

Mr McCagh, who raced to try and save her, made it just in time to hear his daughter say: 'I don't want to die, Dad. I love you.'

She was rushed by ambulance to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee but slipped away soon after despite the attentions of medical staff.

The trial continues.

Read more:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1232365/Wicked-teenager-murdered-girlfriend-17-pouring-petrol-setting-fire.html#ixzz0YScA2nMQ

majwill24

Why don't they burn him alive and see how he likes it..he's obviously guilty...

Damn, she was cute too.

trust_nobody

The UK needs some guns. You could kill each other quickly instead of with fire.wstfld

guns in uk = bad idea...you would have people killing each other just for lulz. and just think what would happen at football match lololol

If killing is wrong in the first place.. killing as a punishment doesn't seem to make much sense.

He deserves the death penalty for that. I'm sorry, sickos like that need to be dealt with.

this is all alleged dont jump to conclusionsweezyfb

"But the Crown insisted today that Miss McCagh's death was no reckless accident and said it was proved beyond reasonable doubt that Blackburn had murdered his girlfriend."

I think he deserves to suffer. Light the Booger on Fire. :lol:

[QUOTE="weezyfb"]this is all alleged dont jump to conclusionsSnipes_2

"But the Crown insisted today that Miss McCagh's death was no reckless accident and said it was proved beyond reasonable doubt that Blackburn had murdered his girlfriend."

I think he deserves to suffer. Light the Booger on Fire. :lol:

yeah they tend to insist a lot

[QUOTE="Snipes_2"]

[QUOTE="weezyfb"]this is all alleged dont jump to conclusionsweezyfb

"But the Crown insistedtoday that Miss McCagh's death was no reckless accident and said it was proved beyond reasonable doubt that Blackburn had murdered his girlfriend."

I think he deserves to suffer. Light the Booger on Fire. :lol:

yeah they tend to insist a lot

What does that even mean?..

[QUOTE="Snipes_2"]

[QUOTE="weezyfb"]this is all alleged dont jump to conclusionsweezyfb

"But the Crown insisted today that Miss McCagh's death was no reckless accident and said it was proved beyond reasonable doubt that Blackburn had murdered his girlfriend."

I think he deserves to suffer. Light the Booger on Fire. :lol:

yeah they tend to insist a lot

You missed the second part of the sentence.

[QUOTE="trust_nobody"]

Damn, she was cute too.

CyleM

these are the kind of people who would put a cat in a microwave. These people are plain evil and they have no inner being. They are just a shell of a person and they have no real joy in life and when they do they destroy it. Give him the burn-to-death penalty. Thats what should be done, no lethal injection, just let him suffer like he did to the girl. He should have no mercy and shouldn't be comforted in jail.

majwill24

Why is the daughter yellow skinned, but neither of the parents have yellow skin? (just pointing it out)

Yeah, I say either life in prison or death sentance. These kinds of people shouldnt be left outside.

She was pretty cute. He should be set on fire.GTA_dude

What's the point in debating whether she was cute or not..she's dead..:|

[QUOTE="CyleM"][QUOTE="trust_nobody"]

Damn, she was cute too.

Forerunner-117

Makes me wonder why a girl like her would wanna go out with a guy like that.

Maybe she likes "Bad boys" or something, she looks it as well...

I understand the emotional response of "righting a wrong" but there is already enough blood on this boy's hands. Killing him too would solve nothing. The poor girl has lost her life either way. Lock him away and let him watch the world pass him by. True that she died needlessly but would another death make things right again?IceManAVWA

Yes..:lol:

[QUOTE="majwill24"]

chaplainDMK

Why is the daughter yellow skinned, but neither of the parents have yellow skin? (just pointing it out)

Yeah, I say either life in prison or death sentance. These kinds of people shouldnt be left outside.

Its called fake tan.

I understand the emotional response of "righting a wrong" but there is already enough blood on this boy's hands. Killing him too would solve nothing. The poor girl has lost her life either way. Lock him away and let him watch the world pass him by. True that she died needlessly but would another death make things right again?IceManAVWA

Exactly. I think cooking his flesh slowly A Little Bit Every Day would solve the problem as well.

[QUOTE="IceManAVWA"]I understand the emotional response of "righting a wrong" but there is already enough blood on this boy's hands. Killing him too would solve nothing. The poor girl has lost her life either way. Lock him away and let him watch the world pass him by. True that she died needlessly but would another death make things right again?Xx_Hopeless_xX

Yes..:lol:

If you can put enough fear into people you can get them to think about their actions before doing it. Why else do i become a giant bat at night with a speech impediment who puts fear into the sickos of this world. Its because am the Goddam Speech impediment Batman.

No, he should be made to suffer for what he did, having him die isn't a punishment to anybody but those who care about him

The_89

[QUOTE="IceManAVWA"]I understand the emotional response of "righting a wrong" but there is already enough blood on this boy's hands. Killing him too would solve nothing. The poor girl has lost her life either way. Lock him away and let him watch the world pass him by. True that she died needlessly but would another death make things right again?Snipes_2

Exactly. I think cooking his flesh slowly A Little Bit Every Day would solve the problem as well.

10ml of methanol will due to the trick first . We blind him first.

[QUOTE="The_89"]

No, he should be made to suffer for what he did, having him die isn't a punishment to anybody but those who care about him

JadeNic

Britain she needs to send fear into theses sickos , give them something to be afraid of. I know am a resident of Britain , West of Scotland i seen sickos like that before , put cats on fireworks then let them off. Throw fireworks at old Granny's. I had knife threats for the way i sound before.

Have you seen her? You can't say you wouldn't have done the same.cjek

[QUOTE="JadeNic"][QUOTE="The_89"]

No, he should be made to suffer for what he did, having him die isn't a punishment to anybody but those who care about him

EvilSteveo

Britain she needs to send fear into theses sickos , give them something to be afraid of. I know am a resident of Britain , West of Scotland i seen sickos like that before , put cats on fireworks then let them off. Throw fireworks at old Granny's. I had knife threats for the way i sound before.

I hear that the UK prisons are some of the best places for inmates, because you guys supposedly passed a special human rights law for prisons. I dont know all the details, maybe you can add some insight.

I no longer have the links for this cobble of reports on the UK prison system.

UK prison AKA "Holiday Camps"

Inmates at one UK prison will no longer be able to use PlayStation 3 consoles, over fears the system could be used to organise "escape attempts".

Prisoners in the UK certainly dont look forward to the day they will be released for that means leaving behind a very cushy cell and all its amenities. In fact, UK prisons are so comfortable, that dozens of people have been caught trying to break into them instead of out of them.

And, if you think this is a joke, well think again, for the figures were released by none other than the UKs Justice Secretary Jack Straw.

According to the figures, 37,000 inmates eligible for early release declined to apply for the perk between 1999 and 2006.

And, 42 people between 2003 and 2008, have actually been caught trying to get into the prisons, that some conservatives say are effectively "expensive bed and breakfasts".

A prison official says inmates in British jails are treated so well they have absolutely no incentive to try to escape.

In fact, Glyn Travis of the Prison Officer's Association says there is one jail in Yorkshire where a drug dealer kept breaking in over a six-month period to sell drugs and mobile phones to inmates, The Daily Telegraph reported Friday.

Travis says the inmates had an opportunity to escape but none tried.

"It tells me there's something wrong in society when people are breaking into prisons to bring in drugs but the prisoners are quite happy to stay inside," says Travis.

At one top security prison, inmates told Justice SecretaryJack Strawthat conditions were like a "holiday camp" with such amenities as satellite television and video games.

Nick Herbert, the shadow justice secretary, says it is time for a fundamental shakeup of Britain's prison system.

"Prison's should be places of hard work and restoration," says Herbert, not a holiday camp.

The country's worst juvenile villains can watch giant 50in plasma screen TVs, play the latest computer games and even choose their own TOILET SEAT covers for their en-suite bathrooms

Inmates at Britain's first privately-run prison have asked to be transferred because they say the staff are too friendly.
The BBC's Jon Brain: "The report says some prisoners find being treated as fellow human beings unnerving"A report published on Friday says that some of the prisoners at Wolds Remand Prison, near Hull, find the relaxed conditions too unsettling and have asked to be moved to other prisons where relations are more antagonistic.

[QUOTE="Xx_Hopeless_xX"]

I understand the emotional response of "righting a wrong" but there is already enough blood on this boy's hands. Killing him too would solve nothing. The poor girl has lost her life either way. Lock him away and let him watch the world pass him by. True that she died needlessly but would another death make things right again?IceManAVWA

Yes..:lol:

If you can put enough fear into people you can get them to think about their actions before doing it. Why else do i become a giant bat at night with a speech impediment who puts fear into the sickos of this world. Its because am the Goddam Speech impediment Batman.

[QUOTE="EvilSteveo"]

[QUOTE="JadeNic"] I agree. The boy deserves to suffer. Killing him would not achieve this. They always say stuff like he will "suffer the death penalty", but I do not see how much suffering is involved. Give him a lifetime of pain, not a moment.majwill24

Britain she needs to send fear into theses sickos , give them something to be afraid of. I know am a resident of Britain , West of Scotland i seen sickos like that before , put cats on fireworks then let them off. Throw fireworks at old Granny's. I had knife threats for the way i sound before.

I hear that the UK prisons are some of the best places for inmates, because you guys supposedly passed a special human rights law for prisons. I dont know all the details, maybe you can add some insight

yeah i heard some people actually WANT to go to the prison in UK, the prisons are that good lol

He deserves the death penalty for that. I'm sorry, sickos like that need to be dealt with.

Wasdie

[QUOTE="wstfld"]The UK needs some guns. You could kill each other quickly instead of with fire.sikanderahmed

guns in uk = bad idea...you would have people killing each other just for lulz. and just think what would happen at football match lololol

[QUOTE="sikanderahmed"]

[QUOTE="wstfld"]The UK needs some guns. You could kill each other quickly instead of with fire.rnd10

guns in uk = bad idea...you would have people killing each other just for lulz. and just think what would happen at football match lololol

no im not joking lol especially the football part...people go crazy in footy matches

The UK needs some guns. You could kill each other quickly instead of with fire.wstfld

They have extreme problems with knife crimes.

[QUOTE="EvilSteveo"]

[QUOTE="Xx_Hopeless_xX"]

Yes..:lol:

COSMICX815

If you can put enough fear into people you can get them to think about their actions before doing it. Why else do i become a giant bat at night with a speech impediment who puts fear into the sickos of this world. Its because am the Goddam Speech impediment Batman.

Hand me some pertol and a lighter and happly get rid of the guy.

[QUOTE="majwill24"]

[QUOTE="EvilSteveo"]

Britain she needs to send fear into theses sickos , give them something to be afraid of. I know am a resident of Britain , West of Scotland i seen sickos like that before , put cats on fireworks then let them off. Throw fireworks at old Granny's. I had knife threats for the way i sound before.

sikanderahmed

I hear that the UK prisons are some of the best places for inmates, because you guys supposedly passed a special human rights law for prisons. I dont know all the details, maybe you can add some insight

yeah i heard some people actually WANT to go to the prison in UK, the prisons are that good lol

If you look at the death penalty in a place like the U.S., people get put on death row and end up spending their life on it, rather than ever actually being put to death. I'm not suggesting just putting these people in prison, I'm suggesting that they create a punishment that people will actually fear and will actually make them suffer. I don't know about you, but I don't really fear death at all. And the "sickos" that throw fireworks at Grannys and explode cats wouldn't even be affected by the death penalty, so how would that create something that they would fear?

I just think the prison system should be reformed into something that people won't ever even consider living in. I know that will never happen, but I think they should at least make a special horrible place for people like this boy.

[QUOTE="rnd10"][QUOTE="sikanderahmed"]

guns in uk = bad idea...you would have people killing each other just for lulz. and just think what would happen at football match lololol

sikanderahmed

no im not joking lol especially the football part...people go crazy in footy matches

Heck i been to a old firm game before when , some fans thought they would bring they homemade bombs with them that burst into smoke and scare the crap out of folk. Well one of them went on fire and catch ed on some wood , luckily they manged to get it out. Or there would of been a bigger fire in the stand with Celtic fans.

"People go to prison, animals get put down"-Rorschach

A complete pig is what it is.