Teenager gets life sentence for murdering teaching assistant Lindsay Birbeck and dumping her body in wheelie bin

A teenager convicted of murdering a teaching assistant and dumping her body in a wheelie bin has been given a life sentence.
Photo issued by Lancashire Constabulary of Rocky Marciano Price, 17, who dumped the body of teaching assistant Mrs Birbeck in a wheelie binPhoto issued by Lancashire Constabulary of Rocky Marciano Price, 17, who dumped the body of teaching assistant Mrs Birbeck in a wheelie bin
Photo issued by Lancashire Constabulary of Rocky Marciano Price, 17, who dumped the body of teaching assistant Mrs Birbeck in a wheelie bin

Rocky Marciano Price attacked Lindsay Birbeck in woods close to her home in Accrington, Lancashire, before he later moved her body in the bin to a cemetery where she was buried in a shallow grave.

The 17-year-old heard he will serve a minimum of 16 years on prison for the murder at his sentencing today, after he was found guilty yesterday – exactly a year on from Ms Birbeck's disappearance.

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Mrs Birbeck, 47, was discovered wrapped in two plastic bags on August 24 last year – 12 days after she went missing, which prompted a huge search by police and members of the community.

Police handout of Lindsay BirbeckPolice handout of Lindsay Birbeck
Police handout of Lindsay Birbeck

Mother-of-two Mrs Birbeck left her home in Burnley Road, Accrington, for a late afternoon walk to a nearby wooded area known as the Coppice.

The keep-fit enthusiast had invited her daughter, Sarah, 17, and Sarah’s boyfriend for tea but when she did not return as planned her family raised the alarm.

Price, who was 16 at the time, had been on the prowl in the woods for lone females and is thought to have killed Mrs Birbeck shortly after she entered the Coppice.

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His parents took him to a police station several days after Mrs Birbeck was found, when police released a CCTV clip of a young male pulling a blue wheelie bin behind him on Burnley Road.

CCTV issued by Lancashire Constabulary of Lindsay Birbeck on Burnley Road, Accrington.CCTV issued by Lancashire Constabulary of Lindsay Birbeck on Burnley Road, Accrington.
CCTV issued by Lancashire Constabulary of Lindsay Birbeck on Burnley Road, Accrington.

Price, who has autism and learning difficulties, admitted dragging the bin from the Coppice on August 17, with Mrs Birbeck inside, across Burnley Road to the cemetery.

But he claimed he was not involved in her death and that a mystery man had approached him in the area with the promise of a large cash reward if he disposed of the body.

In a victim impact statement heard in court, Mrs Birbeck's daughter Sarah said it was "unforgivable" that the defendant had forced the family to listen to the graphic details of her mother's death played out over the course of the trial instead of pleading guilty.

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She said: "We are going to grow up without her by our side. We will both have to get married without her there, have children and live the rest of our lives without her love and guidance."

She added: “All our lives are completely ruined and I don’t see how we will ever recover as a family as the void that has been left will never be filled.”