Stepfather guilty of Jenna's murder

A man was convicted of murdering his teenage stepdaughter, then burying her body in a shallow grave.

Factory worker Michael Baldwin, 36, set out to cover his tracks by trying to convince his wife Desiree and the police that 15-year-old Jenna Baldwin was still alive. He made silent telephone calls to family members and sent text messages purporting to be from the youngster, who went missing from her South Wales home last September.

The jury of eight men and four women took about six hours over a two day period to find the 36-year-old factory worker guilty of murder, based on the prosecution case.

Judge John Griffith Williams QC thanked the jurors for their "obvious care and attention" in the case.

He told them: "There may have been times when you found it very worrying and troubling indeed."

Before the jury came into court to return the verdict, the judge said that there should be no disturbance of any sort.

Jenna's natural father, Nigel Brookfield, from Abergavenny expressed his relief at the verdict of murder. He said: "It is the right verdict most definitely. He murdered Jenna and we all feel a big relief."

Baldwin denied murdering Jenna last September. He told the court the teenager fell down stairs during an argument. He said he panicked and put her in the car to take her to hospital, and that she died on the way.

Baldwin, of Lime Kiln Road, Pontnewynydd, Pontypool, Gwent, claimed that as a result of panicking he decided to bury her.

But the jury heard how he faked text messages from her after killing her to make police and her family believe she was still alive.

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