Phoenix Spencer-Horn: Man who murdered girlfriend and tried to cover it up jailed for 23 years

A man who admitted murdering his 21-year-old girlfriend at her home and attempting to cover up her death has been jailed for 23 years.

Phoenix Spencer-Horn’s body was found on Glen Lee in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, in November last year.

At the High Court in Glasgow on Monday, Judge Lord Mattews said Ewan Methven, 27, had committed a “dreadful crime” that “robbed her of her life in the cruellest way”.

He added that Methven’s use of substances was “not an excuse”.

Methven’s defence admitted he had “delivered the ultimate betrayal” to Miss Spencer-Horn’s family.

Prosecutors said Methven attacked Ms Spencer-Horn by repeatedly striking her on the head and body with a knife or knives.

The court heard Methven choked Ms Spencer-Horn, before severing her head and trying to remove her limbs and torso from her body.

Tony Graham, Methven’s KC, entered guilty pleas to charges of murder and attempting to defeat the ends of justice at the High Court last month.

Methven appeared for sentencing via video link at High Court in Glasgow on Monday morning.

Methven murdered Ms Spencer-Horn, 21, in the home they shared on November 16 last year, after the couple ordered a takeaway to their flat in Glen Lee, East Kilbride, on a Saturday night.

Earlier that day, Methven, who worked as a postman for Royal Mail, had complained to his girlfriend that her waitress shifts made him “lonely”, and she had exchanged messages with her mother, Alison Spencer, at around 9.37pm, saying they were eating dinner.

The couple had been together for two years and met at a family party, the High Court in Glasgow was told.

Around midnight on the Saturday, Methven attacked Miss Spencer-Horn with three knives, stabbing her 20 times, before mutilating her body and severing her head with three knives, the court heard.

He spent the weekend driving Ms Spencer-Horn’s red Corsa, scrolling through her phone and searching for internet pornography, as well as making several attempts to buy cocaine, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutor Christopher McKenna said: “The accused murdered his girlfriend, Phoenix Spencer-Horn, in the top-floor flat they shared. Late on Saturday, November 16, he strangled her and stabbed her. He dialled 999, but not until November 18.

“Her mutilated and decapitated body was discovered only on November 18.”

The court heard that Miss Spencer-Horn had seen her mother the day before and had been in good spirits at work the day she was murdered.

Mr McKenna said: “The police recovered texts between the accused and Phoenix, he complained of feeling lonely because of the hours she worked and he apologised.”

The court heard that a food order was placed around 8pm and Methven “did not appear to be drunk or under the influence by the delivery driver”, however, in a 999 call, he claimed that the murder happened when he had a psychotic episode induced by cocaine, alcohol and steroids.

Judge Lord Mattews said: “You pleaded guilty to a dreadful crime, namely the murder of Phoenix Spencer-Horn, who was a much-loved and sorely missed daughter, sister, niece, cousin and friend.

“At age 21 and 134 days, she was standing at the threshold of what should have been a long, fulfilling life.

“You were a trusted member of her family, and you betrayed that trust and robbed her of a life in the cruellest way.

“Not content with what you did to her, you robbed her of all dignity in death by decapitating her and tried to dismember her in an attempt to defeat the ends of justice.

“The way you treated her after her death meant that her family didn’t have the comfort of saying goodbye to her.

“No punishment I can inflict or what I can say or do can be enough, and the only sentence that I can impose is life.

“I saw a letter written by you which answers none of the questions.

“You blame substances, but that is not an excuse.”