Man who killed ex-girlfriend in North Yorkshire woodland is found guilty of kidnap and murder

Andrew Lee Pearson was convicted today (Thursday) of murdering Natalie Harker following a short deliberation by a jury at Teesside Crown Court.

During the three-week trial, it was heard how the 45-year-old pitched a tent in woods between Brough with St Giles and Colburn, near Catterick Garrison, and ambushed her while she cycled to work before dawn on October 9 last year.

A 999 call was made later that day from Pearson's mother, saying he had gone for a walk in the woods with Miss Harker when she had fallen into a stream and was knocked unconscious, and that he had dragged her into his nearby tent to revive her.

Pearson - who is jobless but previously worked in a supermarket - told the court he had passed out himself shortly after and came around several hours later to find Miss Harker unresponsive and lifeless.

Jurors heard that Pearson, during the period he said he had passed out, texted a friend in the US to say: “Goodbye, I have killed Natalie, I’m going to hand myself in.”

The prosecution said the couple had split up weeks before Ms Harker, a cleaner, was murdered and she had told friends she felt scared after receiving texts from Pearson.

Pearson was convicted of a count of murder and kidnap and is due to be sentenced tomorrow.

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