Man from Exmouth jailed for murdering a “remarkable and wonderful woman”

Following a three-week trial at Exeter Crown Court, the jury reached a unanimous verdict in finding 31-year-old Cameron Davis, of Exeter Road in Exmouth, guilty of the murder of 74-year-old Lorna England in February last year and has been jailed for life.

A man, who murdered an innocent and defenceless lady as she walked through a park in Exeter, has today been jailed for life after being handed a 28-year sentence.

Following a three-week trial at Exeter Crown Court, the jury reached a unanimous verdict in finding 31-year-old Cameron Davis, of Exeter Road in Exmouth, guilty of the murder of 74-year-old Lorna England in February last year.

At the sentencing hearing today [Thursday 11 July], Mrs Justice Stacey addressed Davis, who had his head down in the dock, telling him that he would be sentenced to 28 years imprisonment, with a reduction of 508 days he had spent on remand since he was arrested. The term of 26 years and 222 days must be served before he is subject for parole.

Judge Stacey said: “Cameron Davis, you are to be sentenced for the murder of Lorna, but no punishment that you received will ever compare to the pain that you have inflicted on Lorna and her family. On 18 February 2023 you decided to kill a stranger if you did not get your way. You took your time selecting a large boning knife from Lidl which you bought for that purpose and drank vodka, smoked cigarettes, and ate sweets outside the Wonford Sports Centre […] you set off across Ludwell Velley Park and went to a quiet wooded area away from the CCTV cameras and selected a lone female on her way home from shopping. It was a planned and premeditated attack. It was a terrible fate of Lorna to be walking through that part of the park at the time that you were also there.”

Judge Stacey finished by praising family: “My last words must be to Lorna’s amazing family to acknowledge once again their terrible loss and thank them for sharing their powerful statement about the impact of this crime on their lives.”

The court heard from several members of Lorna’s family including her husband, daughter, and son. Lorna’s husband of 52 years addressed the court while reading out his victim impact statement: “Lorna decided to walk to the shops, as she wanted to achieve her daily 10,000 steps, not knowing the moment she was going to encounter. She must have been so scared and feared with dread, terrified at seeing you with a knife in your hand. I hate to think what she must have gone through and the last thoughts that would have been in her head, as she tried to defend herself. This constantly plays on my mind how someone could be so evil.”

Addressing Cameron Davis directly, Mr England said: “It breaks my heart that the last face Lorna saw was yours, a cowardly, brutal monster […] You murdered Lorna and forever broke the hearts of our family. Lorna had so much to live for and because of your uncontrollable temper and rage, Cameron Davis, Lorna has now gone forever.”

The court previously heard how on Saturday 18 February 2023 at around 3.55pm, Lorna had been walking through Ludwell Valley Park in Exeter when she was randomly and brutally attacked by Davis, a total stranger to her.

Witnesses revealed how Davis, who moved to Devon in 2021, and Lorna had been seen on a pathway together in what looked like a struggle before Lorna fell to the ground. A woman nearby approached the area and asked Davis what had happened. He told her that Lorna must have had a fit as he left the scene with Lorna’s phone, which was later retrieved in the park.

While the woman tended to Lorna, she dialled 999 and shouted for help. Members of the public who were in the park at the time came to her aid as they tried, in vain, to save Lorna’s life.

Response officers arrived at the scene and immediately administered first aid. Despite the best efforts of everyone, Lorna was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Police immediately launched a manhunt while extensive CCTV analysis identified Davis as the suspect and showed him coming out of a local sports hall just prior to the attack.

At around 9.30pm, Davis was recognised by Exeter City Council CCTV operatives less than two miles away on Exeter High Street. Armed Response Officers swooped in and he was arrested and subsequently charged with Lorna England’s murder.

The investigation was passed to The Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT) in Exeter, who discovered that just two hours before Lorna was killed, Davis had purchased vodka, cigarettes, and a large kitchen knife from a nearby store. The knife was identified as the murder weapon and was later discovered in a nearby stream.

Detectives were able to piece together Davis’s movements prior to, during and after the attack by trawling through footage which was shown to the jury.

On the morning of the attack, Davis had attended the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital where he was assessed by mental health teams and later discharged. CCTV footage shows him leaving the hospital premises and heading to local shops before sitting behind Wonford Sports Centre where he drank vodka before the attack.

Footage later showed Davis emerging from the crime scene and taking off his jumper before dumping it in an attempt to alter his appearance. He was also captured on mobile phone footage gatecrashing a private party and drinking with strangers in a pub before he was apprehended.

Davis denied murder claiming he had been mentally ill and pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility at an earlier hearing. However, the investigation and prosecution teams did not accept this plea and pursued a murder conviction.

During the trial, the jury heard from several medical experts, including Dr John Sandford, who assessed Davis twice shortly after the killing and told the jury that in his opinion: “Cameron Davis doesn’t have a severe mental illness” and was not mentally ill at the time of the offence.

'Ferocious assault'

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Dave Egan from the Major Crime Investigation Team said: "I am pleased with today’s sentencing. This was a brutal assault on an innocent woman. For reasons known only to Davis, he launched this unprovoked attack on Lorna as she walked home on a Saturday afternoon.

“His pleas to manslaughter were not accepted by the team and we are pleased that the jury reached this verdict today. Davis has had several psychiatric reports, two of which failed to support that he was suffering from mental health-related psychosis, a defence he claimed.

“In reality, Davis went out that afternoon intent on causing someone harm.

"Our belief is that it could have been anyone that he attacked that day – but tragically for Lorna, and all who knew and loved her, it was her that he chose and only he will ever truly know the reason why."

Det Insp Egan continued: "He stabbed her multiple times in a ferocious assault - inflicting two knife wounds, one of which proved fatal. Lorna also received several defence wounds in the incident, showing that she had fought for her life.

"Lorna had never met Davis before that day and had no personal connection to him - she was a complete stranger to him, merely in the same place as Davis when he decided to launch this horrific attack.

"She should have been safe and could never have foreseen what was about to happen.

"It is clear from speaking to Lorna’s family that she was very much loved, and her death has left a huge void in the lives of all who knew her. My heartfelt sympathies go out to the family and friends of Lorna who have shown nothing but courage and dignity throughout this trial.”