Man jailed for prostitute murder

Danielle's partially-clothed body was found in bushes

A man has been jailed for life for the brutal killing of a 21-year-old pregnant prostitute.

Stuart Milsted, of Gilnow Road, Bolton, battered Danielle Moorcroft to death with a brick and bottle in June 2002.

Ms Moorcroft, originally from Norris Green in Liverpool, was five months pregnant when her body was found near Bolton Community College in 2002.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that they had argued over money after she had agreed to have sex with him.

Milsted was eventually traced through an asthma inhaler he dropped at the scene.

He was DNA tested by police in January 2005, but disappeared hours later, leaving a letter at his home in which he admitted killing Ms Moorcroft.

Stuart Milsted cut his throat when found by search teams

He was found later by search and rescue teams hiding in bushes in Queens Park, Bolton.

Milsted cut his throat as the rescue team approached him.

The sentence, passed on Monday, came with a recommendation to serve a minimum of 11 years.

Ch Supt Patsy Wood, of Greater Manchester Police, said: "I am pleased that Milsted has admitted what he has done and that Danielle's family can finally have a sense of closure.

"They have had to live with the pain of knowing that the person responsible for murdering their daughter and sister was still out there living their life.

"Stuart Milsted is now behind bars and is not in a position to do this to anyone else."

Ms Moorcroft was last seen getting into a large dark car, driven by a man just after 0100 BST on 1 June, 2002, close to Trinity Way Retail Park.

We have never stopped looking for her killer Ch Supt Patsy Wood Three-year hunt for killer

She was a heroin addict and had worked in Bolton for two years after moving from her family home.

Later that year, detectives unveiled giant billboards to appeal for help in catching her killer and an appeal on BBC One's Crimewatch followed.

Her stepmother, Christine, said Ms Moorcroft's unborn baby has been blessed and named Callum in memorial.

Ch Supt Wood added: "Although Danielle was murdered over three years ago now, we have never stopped looking for her killer and we never would have."