AN ENGLISHMAN (31) who murdered his 17-year-old fiancee by strangulation in November 2007, just seven months after she had miscarried their baby, was yesterday jailed for 14 years at the Crown Court in Derry.
Terence Philip Whiting, who is originally from Kent, admitted assaulting Wendy Ann McAteer before he strangled her and left her body in a public park at Backburn Pass in Limavady, Co Derry, on November 23rd, 2007.
After the murder Whiting went to the Robertson Crescent home he shared with Wendy Ann and her family and changed from his bloodsoaked clothes into fresh clothes. He was arrested several hours later on his way to City of Derry Airport.
Mr Justice McCloskey said Whiting, who has a history of convictions for violence against women, had brutally murdered a defenceless teenage victim who was vulnerable both physically and psychologically.
“The brutal attack which brought about this young girl’s death was senseless, inexplicable, inexcusable and, plainly, intentional in every respect,” he said.
“The attack on the deceased. . . entailed the infliction of multiple injuries.
“Further, in the light of the pathologist’s findings, some of the deceased’s head injuries were almost certainly sustained while she lay on the ground,” he added.
On behalf of Wendy’s parents, Eileen and Colm, and her brother Paul, the officer in charge of the murder investigation, Det Insp Ian Magee, said the family ‘‘trusted this man and allowed him to live with Wendy Ann in their Robertson Crescent home and this is the way he has returned that trust”.