Murdered Adam was 'loveable rogue'

By Eric Simpson
BBC News Online, Nottingham

Hundreds of people attended Adam's funeral

In November 2002, a house in Havelock Street in Loughborough was turned into a chamber of horrors, where a boy was beaten, tortured and eventually cut into pieces with a saw.

The murder shocked the residents of the East Midlands town, who knew the victim, excluded schoolboy Adam Morrell.

On Wednesday, 19-year-old Matthew Welsh was found guilty of the murder of the 14-year-old.

Welsh's girlfriend, 17-year-old Sarah Morris was found guilty of assaulting the schoolboy but was cleared of his murder. Daniel Biggs, 19, was cleared of murder or any part in the assault by the jury at Nottingham Crown Court.

A fourth man, Nathan Barnett, 27, had pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

A nearby resident, Debbie Green, who was mayor of the town at the time of the killing, knew the 14-year-old victim.

"I had met him a couple of times - he was a charming, cheeky young chap - a very articulate young man who loved to talk," she said.

Utter shock

She said the gruesome nature of the killing struck home when residents were asked to check their bins for body parts.

"You don't expect to see it on your doorstep - you always expect it to happen elsewhere."

Ms Green, who is still a town councillor, said Adam, who had left school and was attending a student support centre, was apparently doing very well.

The brutality of what was involved took everyone completely by surprise John Brindley Loughborough Echo

Jacinta Barnard, unit leader with the Student Support Service in Loughborough, said: "When he first came, we certainly knew he had arrived and we had a tough job ahead of us.

"However, he made enormous progress with the Student Support Service and his reading age increased by three years over seven months.

"Adam brought life and laughter to our base with his loud and vivacious personality."

John Brindley, news editor of the Loughborough Echo, said the town was stunned when the news emerged about the "body parts" murder.

Some of Adam's remains were found in the Grand Union Canal only around the corner from the Echo offices.

"We regard Loughborough as a very ordinary and prosperous town and the brutality of what was involved took everyone completely by surprise - we were completely off guard," he said.

People considered Adam "a loveable rogue", Mr Brindley added.

'Cheeky and chatty'

He said Adam's funeral in June 2003 was one of the most moving ever seen in the town.

The church was packed, especially with young people, and hundreds had to stand outside the parish church during the service.

Adam's remains were carried in a horse-drawn carriage

The Reverend Stephen Cherry of All Saints Church, who led the service, said a lot of people in the town knew the teenager - and his death had hit the town hard.

"It was a time of terrible sadness for those who knew him and a time of grief for his teachers and friends," he said.

A statement from his mother Dawn and father Shaun, released through Leicestershire Police at the time of his funeral, described Adam as "a normal teenager" who was "cheeky and chatty" with "a lively smile and an outgoing nature".

"He got along with everyone and was a big wrestling fan," the statement said.

"We'll miss his laughter and chatter about the World Wrestling Federation - words can't explain how we feel and there is such a massive gap in our lives."