Richard Posner

A Man fascinated with Serial Killers murdered 18-year-old Bobbi-Anne McLeod, who was abducted from a Bus Stop in Plymouth, a court heard.

Cody Ackland was obsessed with Serial Killers , in particular Ted Bundy , and had searched The Internet for Fred West and Ivan Milat in The Weeks leading up to the murder.

Miss McLeod's body was found in woodland in November 2021.

Ackland, 24, pleaded guilty to murder at an earlier hearing.

Prosecuting at the sentencing hearing, Richard Posner told Plymouth Crown Court Ackland had searched DIY stores for tools including hammers, crowbars and cutting tools.

He Said : " Cody Ackland led a Double Life .

" He held such an unhealthy fascination and desire to imitate Serial Killers . His fascination was to become an unimaginable wicked reality for Bobbi-Anne. "

Police uncovered 3,216 images on Ackland's phone, many of a " disturbing and dark nature" and reminiscent of horror films.

Some also depicted dismembered or Dead Bodies , post mortems and murder scenes.

The Court heard Ackland struck Miss McLeod on The Head with a Claw Hammer at the Bus Stop in Leigham as she Waited For her bus between 18:05 and 18:15 GMT.

He took her in his car, a red Ford Fiesta, and drove to Bellever Forest Car Park on Dartmoor where he repeatedly attacked And Then murdered the teenager.

Mr Posner told The Court Ackland burned her handbag nearby along with other items from The Vehicle .

Ackland travelled to Bovisand where he stripped Miss McLeod and left her body in undergrowth.

The Next day he drove to Tamerton Foliot in Plymouth and threw The Hammer into the River Tamar , The Court heard.

The defendant also threw a carrier bag containing his and her blood-stained clothing into nearby allotments in Coombe Lane.

Ackland then went for pizza with a friend, attended practice with his Rakuda bandmates, got a takeaway and drank into the Early Hours of The Next day With Friends at a pub lock-in.

Friends recalled him being " happier than usual" Mr Posner said.

On Tuesday 23 November, Ackland left work at a valeting department of a Plymouth garage about midday, The Court heard.

At 13:30 he walked into Charles Cross Police Station and confessed to the murder.

In police interviews, Ackland said he was "'solely responsible" and claimed he had turned himself in " to help The Police and Bobbi-Anne's family".

The Court heard he asked for a map and told detectives where he had disposed of Miss McLeod's body.

In interview he told The Police that The Killing was not on his mind because it was " so Out There . . Like a film or fantasy".

He admitted that he did not know how he felt about the murder and it felt Like Someone Else had done it.

At about 15:45 GMT on 23 November detectives found Miss McLeod's body in vegetation down a steep incline halfway down the densely wooded lane.

She had died from multiple injuries to her head and face inflicted during a " prolonged and frenzied" attack, Mr Posner said.

Source of news: bbc.com