Coventry Labourer Faces Sentencing for Manslaughter of Mother-of-Two
A Midland labourer who killed a mother-of-two and buried her body in a shallow grave is due to be sentenced today, Thursday, March 26, for manslaughter. Mohammed Durnion, 42, was convicted by a jury at Warwick Crown Court after a three-week trial that revealed disturbing details of the crime.
Body Discovered in Woodland After Police Investigation
Reanne Coulson, 33, was found dead in Binley Woods, approximately five miles from Durnion's home on Paynes Lane in Coventry. Prosecutors alleged that Coulson had been attacked and strangled, leading to her death on the night of May 21 last year. Durnion claimed she died from a drug overdose, but evidence presented in court contradicted his account.
Jurors cleared Durnion of murder but found him guilty of manslaughter by a majority 11-1 verdict on Tuesday. They were instructed to convict on the lesser charge if they believed he did not intend to cause really serious bodily harm. The court heard that Durnion used petrol to set part of the victim's body on fire after her death.
Police Body-Worn Camera Footage Reveals Deception
Footage from police body-worn cameras captured Durnion feigning a mental health crisis and falsely claiming his father had cancer shortly after the killing. This occurred about an hour before officers failed to discover Coulson's body hidden under a mattress. West Midlands Police released the footage after Durnion was found guilty, showing him leading officers to the grave near a bridleway.
Durnion initially refused to answer police questions after his arrest on June 24 but cooperated after being shown footage of a media appeal made by Coulson's relatives. Police were initially sent to his flat following a 999 call from a neighbor who heard the victim, a sex worker known to take drugs, shouting for help.
Accomplice Convicted for Assisting in Disposal of Body
In a related case, Durnion's friend and fellow ground worker Adam Moore, 39, of Marlcroft, Willenhall, Coventry, was convicted of assisting an offender. Moore helped dispose of Coulson's body in Binley Woods on May 22, though he denied the charge, claiming he went to the woods to look for Durnion.
Both defendants are scheduled to be sentenced today, marking the conclusion of a tragic case that has shocked the local community. The trial highlighted issues of violence, deception, and the desperate actions taken in the aftermath of a fatal incident.
