Killer 'grinned' over murder tale

Julie Parle had been in a relationship with one of the brothers

Two brothers who killed a woman and then bragged to friends about the crime have been convicted of murder.

Julie Parle, 30, from Dunstable, Bedfordshire, was probably strangled and then repeatedly stamped on during the attack in April 2003.

Minutes later, Shawn and Wayne Cook, aged 29 and 26, told friends they had killed the mother of two, and a man who heard their comments called the police.

The brothers, who pleaded not guilty to murder, will be sentenced on Friday.

Nicholas Browne, prosecuting, told Luton Crown Court Ms Parle and Shawn Cook had had a turbulent on-and-off romantic relationship.

Her family had been concerned for her and the way she had changed since meeting him.

Shawn Cook told me they had killed her. I thought he was winding me up and it was a big joke, because of the way he kept smiling. Brian Donaghy prosecution witness

On 21 April last year, the brothers got drunk at a friend's home and there were various phone calls made to Julie, who lived at Black Cat Cottages in Benning Avenue, before the brothers went to her flat.

In court, Shawn Cook, who also lived in Benning Avenue, blamed on his brother, from Spoondell, claiming he had been looking out of the window when Ms Parle was killed.

Wayne Cook did not give evidence, but his barrister suggested his brother was the murderer while his client was in the bathroom.

The court heard one of the brothers may have held her down while the other stood on her neck.

The Cooks had then left the scene to buy lager and bragged to friends about murdering her.

Murder tale 'not believed'

At first no one believed what they were saying because they were grinning, the jury heard.

But Brian Donaghy, sickened by the story, called police. The tape of his call was played in court.

In his evidence, he said: "Shawn Cook told me they had killed her. I thought he was winding me up and it was a big joke, because of the way he kept smiling.

"When Wayne was bragging about her blood being on his trousers he looked pretty happy with himself."