Trevor Dunkley, 66, has pleaded guilty to the murder of Patricia Lashley, a mother of seven who disappeared near her home in Dudley, West Midlands, in September 1998. He also admitted a charge of preventing the lawful burial of Ms Lashley. The pleas were entered at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday, September 11.
Court Hearing Details
Dunkley, of Himley Road, Dudley, appeared in the dock wearing round-rimmed glasses and a grey sweater. He showed no emotion as his barrister, Balbir Singh, informed Judge Michael Chambers KC that the charges were based on a police interview.
When asked by the judge whether the victim's body had been found, Mr Singh replied: “No, because this is 28 years ago and the body was put into the cellar downstairs. It decomposed. When he was moving about nine months to a year later the skeleton was disposed of into the bins.”
Basis of Plea
Asked if there was a basis of plea, Mr Singh said of the case: “It is down to what the defendant told the police when there was no evidence in reality of what had happened.”
Dunkley was remanded in custody and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 6.
