Escort Suspect Faces Murder Trial for Chilling 2013 Killings
Mark Brown, 41, of St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, is on trial for the murders of two women, Alexandra Morgan, 34, and Leah Ware, 33. Both women vanished in Hastings in 2021 after working as escorts. Brown, a father of one, denies all charges.
Two Women Missing, Two Bodies Burned
Brown was charged today at Hove Crown Court with murdering and burning the bodies of Miss Morgan and Miss Ware at a remote farm he rented near Hastings. Alexandra Morgan’s remains – bone fragments and teeth – were later found in an oil drum discarded at a construction site in Sevenoaks, Kent, where Brown worked.
Leah Ware’s remains have never been found, but court heard she was regularly padlocked inside a barn at Little Bridge Farm, the same property where Brown lived. An old burnt oil drum was also found at the farm, believed used to destroy evidence.
Psychopath With a Conscience?
Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson KC read chilling messages Brown allegedly sent to a friend. Brown described himself as a “psychopath with a conscience” and alluded to burning bodies in oil drums.
“An old oil drum, five litres of diesel, and there was nothing left… The things I’ve done weigh heavily on my heart, head, and soul,” Brown allegedly wrote.
Controlling, Violent Relationship with Ware
Leah Ware, a mother of three from Hastings with a chaotic history of mental health and substance issues, had developed a close, controlling relationship with Brown. She often described being locked inside a shipping container and called herself a “voluntary prisoner.” Brown’s interest in violent sex and bondage escalated as their relationship progressed.
“It is a story of an increasingly controlling relationship in which Leah Ware was expected to be subservient,” said the prosecutor. Ware vanished on or around May 7, 2021, and Brown continued to withdraw money from her bank and collect her prescriptions after she disappeared.
Morgan’s Fateful Last Meeting
Alexandra Morgan, a single mother of two from Kent, was last seen filling up petrol for her white Mini Cooper before meeting Brown at the farm. Brown admits disposing of Morgan’s body after an alleged accident.
Brown met Ware after purchasing her services and allegedly described her as the “love of his life” and “soul mate.” He even moved her into a flat, with rent paid from her benefits.
Trial Ongoing as Jury Hears Disturbing Details
Mr Justice Nicholas Hilliard swore in a jury today. The trial continues amid revelations of a controlling defendant who may have torched two women’s bodies to hide his crimes.
Mark Brown has told conflicting stories about Leah Ware’s fate, including claims she was “sectioned,” sent to a “mental hospital,” or had “killed herself.” The prosecution says the truth is far darker.
