A chilling murder trial has commenced as a court heard horrifying details of a gruesome crime involving a murderous couple in Bournemouth. Debbie Pereira, 39, and Benjamin Atkins, 49, are accused of killing, decapitating, and dismembering Simon Shotton, a drug user who was living with them in exchange for drugs.
The 48-year-old victim’s limbs were allegedly sawn off with a Wilko’s saw, and his legs were discovered in a plastic bag by a passerby. The grisly discovery prompted a murder investigation that led to the arrest of the couple, who were allegedly covertly recorded boasting of their brutal murder in the back of a police van.
According to prosecutors, Atkins chillingly confessed that he would “do it again and again” and boasted of eating the victim’s flesh. Pereira allegedly asked Atkins if he regretted anything, to which he callously responded with a vow to repeat the crime multiple times.
The shocking incident unfolded when a large package containing Mr Shotton’s foot landed in front of a member of the public. Subsequent investigations led to the discovery of more body parts, including a headless torso found in Boscombe Chine Gardens.
Police uncovered damning evidence, including Pereira’s attempt to pawn Mr Shotton’s iPhone and the couple’s attempts to dispose of the victim’s body parts. Pereira alleged that Atkins, driven by paranoia and dislike for Mr. Shotton, committed the gruesome acts, claiming that he believed “God had told him to do it.
Atkins has pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice and preventing the burial of a corpse but denies murder, claiming self-defence. Pereira has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The trial, expected to last four weeks, continues as the court grapples with the harrowing details of this heinous crime. Residents of Bournemouth and beyond are left shocked and
