A MONSTER has admitted slaughtering his girlfriend before severing her head and trying to dismember her body.
Evil Ewan Methven, 27, subjected Phoenix Spencer-Horn, 21, to the explosion of gruesome violence at a flat in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire.
POLICE SCOTLANDMethven admitted the horrific murder[/caption]
Phoenix Spencer-Horn, 21, met a violent end
Les GallagherCops at the murder scene in Glen Lee in St Leonards[/caption]
He also pretended to her mum Alison Spencer that the popular cafe and hotel worker, known as Phe, was still alive after the horrific attack in a bid to dodge justice.
Methven appeared in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow today where he tendered a plea of guilty to murder and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.
The monster admitted throttling Phoenix, from nearby Strathaven, and repeatedly striking her on the head and body with knives or similar instruments.
Evil Methven also admitted a charge that he did ’sever the head and attempt to remove the limbs and torso from the body…with a knife or similar instrument.’
The first offender – who faces a life sentence when he returns to court next month – bowed his head in the dock but showed no emotion otherwise.
A man dressed in a black suit shouted ‘beast’ as he was led away.
His defence lawyer Tony Graham KC said Phoenix’s family, friends and society in general would regard Methven’s actions as ‘the personification of evil.’
The couple had started dating two years before the killing.
They had recently moved into the top floor one-bedroom flat in East Kilbride.
Methven was employed by the Royal Mail while Phoenix held part times jobs at both the Strathaven Hotel and a local coffee shop.
Phoenix had been working on November 16 – she was described as in “good spirits”.
Methven had texted her during her shift complaining of feeling “lonely” due to her hours. Phoenix apologised to her boyfriend.
The postman had also been working that morning. He told a colleague he was then going home to “chill”.
Methven ordered a takeaway that night and the couple ate when Phoenix got back.
The young woman had contacted her mum at 9.37pm stating she was at home having dinner.
The court heard this was the last communication she had with her daughter.
It was around midnight that a downstairs neighbour heard “loud noise and hurried footsteps”.
The popular cafe and hotel worker was known as Phe
Les GallagherPolice locked down the scene after the horrific crime[/caption]
SuppliedMonster Methven will be sentenced next month[/caption]
Prosecutor Chris McKenna said: “This coincided with increased activity recorded in an app measuring steps at 12.13am which was discovered upon later interrogation of Methven’s phone.
“At that time, around or shortly after midnight on November 16 through to November 17, Methven attacked Phoenix by compressing her neck and repeatedly stabbing her to the head and body.”
The court then heard of Methven’s sick behaviour as his girlfriend lay dead including hacking at her with knives.
He repeatedly arranged to buy drugs via contact on his phone.
Phoenix’s mum Alison Spencer had also tried contacting her daughter on the morning of November 17.
Methven instead got in touch initially claiming “Phe is not up yet” and that he would get her to message when she was.
The sick killer then later pretended to be his girlfriend and sent a text to Alison.
It stated: “Hey sorry I’ve just woken up xxx”. Another claimed Phoenix was apparently “all good”.
The court heard, minutes after this, Methven logged on to adult websites.
Mr McKenna: “Throughout the day on November 17, analysis of his phone and search history revealed that, for prolonged period over several hours, he accessed pornography from 8.12am through to 6.39pm.
“He was noted to have accessed a pornographic video site 170 times.”
Methven was also captured on CCTV driving Phoenix’s red Vauxhall Corsa.
Concerns were raised when Phoenix did not turn up for work on November 18.
Methen then went on to dial 999 that afternoon stating he had had “a drug induced psychotic break” and that he had “killed” his girlfriend.
He told the operator: “The past day I have been trying to kind of muster up the courage to phone.”
A Community In Shock
BY BART DICKSON
THE BRUTAL murder of Phoenix Spencer-Horn sent shockwaves through her local community and left friends and family devastated.
The 21-year-old was discovered savagely injured after she was attacked by her boyfriend Ewan Methven at his flat in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire
It is understood that the attack was so brutal that police officers who had first attended the scene were sent for counselling.
Hundreds of tributes were left for Phoenix in the aftermath of the incident in November last year.
In an emotional post online, her heartbroken mum Alison said the family had been left ‘shattered’ and they would remain ‘broken forever’ over their loss.
A private funeral service was held in December while friends and family gathered back in January to celebrate her 21st birthday.
Alison added: “We have had to come to terms that we will never cuddle, kiss, laugh with her again and never get served one of her brilliant barista coffees with the perfect latte art which always made you feel special of how much love and precision she put into making them.
“We now only have the photos and videos to be blessed with her stunning smile, the stunning smile that the people who were lucky enough to have met Phe were left with after encountering her amazing energy and radiance.
“The last couple of months have undoubtedly been the worst we have ever gone through in our lives, having to accept that our fantastic, wholesome, stunning daughter has gone from the world and won’t ever be coming back.
“Our hearts were shattered and broken forever, life will never be the same again without our Phe.
“Phoenix put a lot into this community of Strathaven town so thank you to everyone for their love, support and kindness over these hardest weeks, we really appreciate the good people of Strathaven.
“RIP Phe, 21 forever. My darling angel.”
Friends, family members and local businesses in her hometown of Strathaven, Lanarkshire, were urged to share an image online of her name ‘Phe’ along with a candle and angel wings as a way to remember her.
A commemorative bench is also being created by local Strathaven craftspeople while a fundraiser launched after her death raised £6,440 to support her family.
Methven added Phoenix remained in the hall with a knife beside her. He said he had been taking steroids and cocaine, which he believed had been spiked.
Methven: “I totally blacked out through the full thing.”
He mentioned having “stabbed” and “choked” Phoenix adding: “It was f***ing horrible.”
Asked by an officer who came on the line if Phoenix could still be alive, Methven replied: “I know she is dead, mate – she is dead.”
Police soon arrived and made the grim discovery of Phoenix’s remains.
Mr McKenna: “Phoenix’s naked and mutilated body with her head decapitated was discovered by police covered up within the hall of their home.
“An attempt had also been made by him to sever her torso, right wrist and ankle from her body.
“There were two bloodstained knives lying next to the mutilated body. A further bloodstained knife was found discarded in the bedroom.”
Mr McKenna said her head had been placed upright next to her body under her left arm.
Methven was described as “calm”.
Among the remarks Methven made on his arrest were: “I could not stay here with her like that. I tried to dismember her. I moved her from the bath and put her there.”
After he was put in a police cell, he said: “I guess this is what my next 25 years look like.”
The full extent of Phoenix’s injuries were revealed at the hearing.
She had suffered a total of 20 stab wounds – the fatal one to the chest. There were others in that area as well as to the face and buttocks.
His KC Tony Graham said: “Those related to Phoenix and those who are friends are likely to regard Ewan Methven as the personification of evil.
“While of little moment, he wishes to express publicly how truly sorry he is for the death.
“He recognises the relatives and friends will never be able to forgive him. He will not be able to forgive himself.
“He understands the bereaved will seek an explanation, but he cannot provide an explanation.”
Les GallagherPolice guarding the scene of the brutal murder[/caption]
Les GallagherThe community was shocked by the horrific crime[/caption]
Detective Chief Inspector Susie Cairns said: “My thoughts remain with Phoenix’s family and friends as they continue to try to come to terms with what happened.
“Methven now faces the consequences of his actions.
“Violence such as this is never acceptable in our communities, and we will work tirelessly to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.”
Lord Matthews described the bloodbath as a a ‘horrible and appalling crime.’
Sentence was deferred for reports until July 14.
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