‘Highly dangerous young man’: Jack Crawley jailed after ‘brutal and callous’ murder and vicious attempted murder of York man

While on bail for the murder of Mr Taylor, he arranged to meet a man for sex in York and again attacked him with a hammer before his victim managed to get away.

The 20-year-old was found guilty of murder and attempted murder and jailed for life with a minimum of 37 years on Wednesday (Oct 20).

Crawley, of no fixed address, struck Mr Taylor with a hammer at least 10 times, then transported his body in his own car to another location where he tried to burn the body before burying him in a shallow grave.

He took Mr Taylor’s car and attempted to sell it to different people without success.

Two days later, he collected Mr Taylor’s car from Green Lane, in Carlisle, and drove it towards Appleby, in Cumbria.

However, the 20-year-old crashed the car in the village of Langwathby and fled the area. He was arrested on November 15, 2023.

During his police interview, he gave a prepared statement saying he did not know Paul Taylor and refused to comment further.

While on bail Crawley fled the county and eventually travelled to York.

On January 5, 2024, Crawley attempted to murder a second man from York by viciously attacking him with a hammer.

Crawley had met the man for consensual sex and was picked up by him in his car.

However, during their meeting Crawley struck his victim with a hammer, but he was able to fight off Crawley, who fled the scene.

Mr Justice Goose said: “Whilst he suffered lesser wounds to the face and head, your intention, as the jury has found correctly, in my judgement, was to kill him.”

In a packed courtroom at Carlisle Crown Court on Wednesday (Oct 23), a victim impact statement was read out, in which he said he suffers from “frequent flashbacks of the attack that are vivid”.

He added: “I honestly think that if I hadn't managed to escape, that I would have ended up dead, just like the other man before me, and this thought continuously goes round in my mind.”

Crawley was arrested in Bristol on February 2, 2024, following a burglary where he stole clothes and a knife and cannabis.

During his police interview in relation to the incident in York, he claimed he was acting in self-defence when he hit the man with a hammer.

On May 1, 2024, Crawley told the police where they could find Mr Taylor’s body, in Finglandrigg Wood, near Carlisle.

Following his two-week trial, at Carlisle Crown, on Monday (Oct 21), Crawley was found guilty of the murder of Paul Taylor and guilty of attempted murder of the man in York.

He was also found guilty of burglary and possession of an offensive weapon.

Crawley was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 37 years for the murder of Paul Taylor.

For the attempted murder, he received a concurrent term of 15 years.

Additional concurrent sentences of four months each were given for burglary and possession of an offensive weapon.

Mr Justice Goose called Crawley a “highly dangerous young man” and when regarding his crimes described them as being done with “brutal and exceptionally severe violence” and “callous cruelty”.

The judge added that Mr Taylor was killed in a “murder for gain, due to Crawley admitting his intention was to steal his car.