Life in jail for fire death women

Kerry Bauer will have to serve a minimum of 17 years in jail.

Two women were jailed for life on Wednesday for their part in the murder of a teenage girl who was doused in petrol and set alight.

Kerry Bauer, 21, and Emma Last, 19, both of Braintree, Essex, murdered Debra Carne, 17, after becoming embroiled in a row over a boyfriend.

Miss Carne's burned body was found in an isolated lay-by near her home in Sible Hedingham on 28 July 2002.

Mr Justice Nelson described the death of Miss Carne as horrific.

Bauer was jailed for a minimum of 17 years and Last for a minimum of 20 years.

Debra Carne's burned body was left in a lay-by

Steven Wood, 23, of Halstead, Essex was jailed for eight years after being cleared of murder, but found guilty of manslaughter for his part in the killing after a six-week trial at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Nicole Hollinshead, 19, of Halstead, was jailed for five years after being found guilty of conspiracy to inflict grievous bodily harm.

Sentencing the four, Mr Justice Nelson described the death of Miss Carne as horrific and said the motive for the killing was on the face of it so trivial it defied explanation.

'Lethal cocktail'

"For teenagers and people in their 20s to have lovers' quarrels is entirely common, but for such quarrels to result in murder is thankfully extremely uncommon.

"Each of you was drawn into a plan to kill a 17-year-old girl who had done nothing more than become the temporary subject of Steven Wood's affections.

"He thought he had found a more sympathetic girlfriend.

"Whether it was a lethal cocktail of personality or powerful emotions driven by alcohol and cannabis or a failure to distinguish between fantasy and reality, cannot now be determined," he said.