On the evening of Friday 6 August last year, 23-year-old Megan Newborough
visited Ross McCullum at his home in Windsor Close. However, she did not
return home and her family – with who she lived in Nuneaton – reported her
missing to Warwickshire Police the following day.
They stated she had gone to go for a walk with a man from work, called Ross.
On Saturday 7 August, McCullum was spoken to by officers on the phone and
told them Megan had been to see him, but left that evening. He said had not
heard from her since.
However, using a tracking app, her family identified that her phone
appeared to be in Hermitage Road, Whitwick. As a result, they and police
located it. Officers then went to Windsor Close and arrested McCullum on
suspicion of kidnap.
He was asked by officers if he could say where Megan was. He told them she
was dead and that her body had been left in Charley Road in Woodhouse
Eaves. Officers were immediately deployed to the area and found her in a
remote area, underneath an overgrown hedgerow.
McCullum was further arrested on suspicion of murder and the investigation
was passed to detectives from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit
(EMSOU).
In interview, he told officers he had strangled her before cutting her
throat.
He told police he had then placed her body in the passenger seat of her car
and drove off from his home, disposing of her phone before depositing
Megan’s body at the spot where it was found. He then continued driving,
eventually arriving in Loughborough where he abandoned the vehicle and
returned home.
On 10 August, McCullum was charged with Megan’s murder.
McCullum, 30, denied the offence but pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
However today (Monday 12 December)) at Leicester Crown Court, following a
trial spanning several weeks, he was convicted of her murder.
The senior investigating officer from EMSOU – Detective Inspector Jenni
Heggs – said: “First and foremost, my deepest and most sincere condolences
remain with Megan’s family.
“Today’s outcome is the end of a lengthy trial which recounted in great
detail the weeks and days leading up to her death – and McCullum’s attempts
to cover up his actions.
“He has never been able to give a full explanation of why he killed Megan.
This, without doubt, has caused further pain to her family and friends.
“She was only 23, with her whole life ahead of her and I know those who
knew her are still struggling to come to terms with what happened. I hope
today’s outcome provides them with a degree of closure.”
visited Ross McCullum at his home in Windsor Close. However, she did not
return home and her family – with who she lived in Nuneaton – reported her
missing to Warwickshire Police the following day.
They stated she had gone to go for a walk with a man from work, called Ross.
On Saturday 7 August, McCullum was spoken to by officers on the phone and
told them Megan had been to see him, but left that evening. He said had not
heard from her since.
However, using a tracking app, her family identified that her phone
appeared to be in Hermitage Road, Whitwick. As a result, they and police
located it. Officers then went to Windsor Close and arrested McCullum on
suspicion of kidnap.
He was asked by officers if he could say where Megan was. He told them she
was dead and that her body had been left in Charley Road in Woodhouse
Eaves. Officers were immediately deployed to the area and found her in a
remote area, underneath an overgrown hedgerow.
McCullum was further arrested on suspicion of murder and the investigation
was passed to detectives from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit
(EMSOU).
In interview, he told officers he had strangled her before cutting her
throat.
He told police he had then placed her body in the passenger seat of her car
and drove off from his home, disposing of her phone before depositing
Megan’s body at the spot where it was found. He then continued driving,
eventually arriving in Loughborough where he abandoned the vehicle and
returned home.
On 10 August, McCullum was charged with Megan’s murder.
McCullum, 30, denied the offence but pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
However today (Monday 12 December)) at Leicester Crown Court, following a
trial spanning several weeks, he was convicted of her murder.
The senior investigating officer from EMSOU – Detective Inspector Jenni
Heggs – said: “First and foremost, my deepest and most sincere condolences
remain with Megan’s family.
“Today’s outcome is the end of a lengthy trial which recounted in great
detail the weeks and days leading up to her death – and McCullum’s attempts
to cover up his actions.
“He has never been able to give a full explanation of why he killed Megan.
This, without doubt, has caused further pain to her family and friends.
“She was only 23, with her whole life ahead of her and I know those who
knew her are still struggling to come to terms with what happened. I hope
today’s outcome provides them with a degree of closure.”
