Man who strangled and smothered mother-of-two during sex found guilty of murder

Jurors deliberated for an hour and 15 minutes before unanimously convicting Richard Bailey of the murder of 33-year-old Charlotte Teeling, who had also been smothered.

Birmingham Crown Court heard that Miss Teeling's body was found a week after her death at Bailey's flat in Cooksey Lane, Kingstanding, in February.

Bailey, 41, denied murder, claiming that his victim died accidentally during "rough sex" after asking to be choked.

But jurors found him guilty on Wednesday after accepting that he intended to kill or cause really serious harm to Miss Teeling, who suffered injuries to her neck and mouth as well as a bone fracture near the base of her tongue.

Opening the Crown's case at the start of the two-week trial, prosecutor Jonas Hankin QC said Bailey met his victim in a shop around five hours before killing her.

Mr Hankin told jurors: "The pathologist has concluded that her death was most likely the result of forceful compression of the neck.

"The prosecution case is that while having penetrative intercourse with Charlotte - whether with her consent or without - the defendant caused her death by strangling her and smothering her."

The court was told Miss Teeling, who had lived on the Isle of Wight and also at a women's refuge in Worcester, met Bailey shortly after leaving a Birmingham nightclub at around 5am on February 23.

After killing Charlotte, Bailey used her bank card and travelled to Coventry, where he "wormed his way" back into the life of a former partner.

Judge Patrick Thomas QC remanded Bailey in custody until sentencing on Wednesday.

Before adjourning the case, the judge told the jury panel: "I have learned over the years not to rush sentence.

"The sentence (will be) a life sentence but part of my duty is to specify a minimum term that Mr Bailey must serve on your verdict before he can be considered for release.

"That is not a matter to be taken lightly, nor is it a matter to be rushed."

Speaking after the case, Detective Inspector Jim Colclough, of West Midlands Police, said "manipulative" Bailey had rightly been found guilty.

The officer said: "Charlotte was a loving mother, daughter and sister. She was a caring person who did not deserve to die in these circumstances.

"I hope that her family and friends feel some sense of justice following today's result at court.

"Charlotte's family have been very brave in spite of having to listen to some very disturbing evidence.

"I would like to offer my sincere condolences to them and wish them all the very best as they try to rebuild their lives."