Man jailed for killing stepdad and family dog

A former college student who had a series of "kill lists" on his phone has been given a life sentence after he stabbed his stepfather and family dog to death.

Logan Procter, 20, used two knives to cause more than 70 wounds to Christopher Owen, 57, and 15 stab injuries to their Jack Russell, Poppy, on 22 October at a house in Valley Road, Shirebrook, Derbyshire.

Derby Crown Court heard the defendant had a stash of knives and Samurai swords at the family home, and said he "wanted to end so many lives".

Procter, of Valley Road, Shirebrook pleaded guilty to murder in January and was sentenced to custody for life, with a minimum term of 20 years and 10 months on Friday.

Sentencing Procter, who sat in the dock wearing a prison-issue grey tracksuit, Judge Shaun Smith KC said: "The killing of your stepfather and family dog was brutal, sustained and frenzied.

"No-one foresaw the tragedy that was to unfold in terrifying events at your home."

Prosecutor Maryam Syed KC told the court that Procter had two mobile phones, and said: "Within the material extracted, there were compiled lists of various methods of killing and, in particular, various 'kill lists', what the prosecution say are 'kill lists', with various names.

"There was a specific list in relation to 'home', which included 'mum' and another family member, but top of the list was 'Chris'."

Syed said there was another list for "work", which named six individuals, one for "college", which included 14 names, and online searches on his devices related to torture and cannibalism.

Syed said Procter called 999 with "extreme calmness" after the murder, when he described how the dog had "screamed" during the attack and "explained he wanted it to be quick".

"One of the key phrases in the 999 call, we say, was 'I wanted to end so many lives. I planned to go off so much further than this'," she said.

In a victim impact statement, Procter's mother, and the partner of Owen, Alison Owen, wrote that her son had "never shown any form of anger or violence in all his life".

"The outcome of this situation will bring me no comfort at all because I have lost everything I hold dear to me – a precious partner, Chris, and my precious boy, Logan.

"Chris was kind, protective, loyal and truly a beautiful gentleman. We should have had so many more years together."

Defending Procter, Clive Stockwell KC said he had been bullied and was a "vulnerable young man" because of his mental health problems.

Stockwell added: "His (Procter's) position to us has always been acknowledgement and sorrow for the misery that he caused.

"Christopher Owen was a completely innocent victim. Not for a moment does Logan seek to ascribe any blame or criticism of Mr Owen.

"There had been no cross words, there had been no hostile behaviour from Mr Owen, there had been no ill-treatment perpetrated by Mr Owen."

Det Insp Kane Martin said the murder of Owen had "devastated his family and friends", and throughout this investigation, seeking the truth for them has always been the force's focus.

"What they will never know is why Mr Owen was killed as, while Logan Procter has taken responsibility for his murder, he has never given a reason for why he carried out the attack. It was made clear that Mr Owen was an entirely innocent victim who had done nothing to justify the attack.

"What is clear is that Procter planned to kill Mr Owen and he did so in the most brutal of manners," he added.

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