A man with a chilling “DEAD” tattoo on his face has shockingly confessed to brutally murdering his best friend. Jack Towell, aged 22, admitted to killing 21-year-old Owen Fairclough, whose lifeless body was discovered in a stream with his throat slashed and multiple stab wounds. The heartbreaking find was made by a group of teenagers near a path in Breaston, Derbyshire, around 7.20 pm on a fateful day in June the previous year.
The court learned that Owen had been lured to the spot after arranging to meet Towell to collect money owed to him. Owen had taken a taxi from Long Eaton to the Navigation Inn pub, where the meeting was scheduled at approximately 11 pm on June 21. However, upon arrival, Towell directed him to a secluded area nearby, where two other men, including David Oswald, 31, and an unnamed individual, were waiting to carry out a vicious attack on Owen.
Jurors were informed that the group had plotted Owen’s murder, fearing he was preparing to report their illicit drug dealings to the authorities. Towell, hailing from Nottingham, was placed under arrest at 1.42 am on June 24 following the identification of CCTV footage and geolocation data linking him to Owen’s murder. Initially denying the allegations, Towell later changed his plea to guilty during the trial at Derby Crown Court.
Further revelations unfolded in court, with Oswald from Birmingham city centre and another individual from Long Eaton, identified as Man A, present at the scene of the heinous crime. Additionally, Man B from Nottinghamshire, though not physically there, was implicated in the planning of Owen’s murder. All three accomplices were charged with Owen’s murder, and despite their denials, they were found guilty following the legal proceedings.
Towell was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years behind bars, while Oswald was mandated to serve at least 26 years. Man A received a minimum sentence of 29 years, and Man B was ordered to serve a minimum of 25 years in incarceration. Following the harrowing ordeal, Derbyshire Police released a mug shot of Towell, showcasing the conspicuous “DEAD” face tattoo alongside a broken heart inked on his other cheek.
Detective Superintendent Leigh Sanders of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) commended the exhaustive investigation that led to the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators. He highlighted the dedicated efforts of the investigative team, led by Superintendent Matt Croome, in ensuring justice for Owen’s family. Detective Staff Investigator Molly Mee, the case officer, emphasised the premeditated and cruel nature of the attack orchestrated by Towell and his associates.
Mee condemned the calculated actions that resulted in the senseless loss of a promising young life, affirming that the convicts’ callous behaviour post-murder underscored their lack of remorse. Expressing relief at the convictions secured for the gruesome crime, Mee underscored that justice had been served, and the offenders would face lengthy incarceration. The tragic episode serves as a stark reminder of the profound impact of senseless violence and the enduring pain inflicted on the victim’s loved ones.
The heart-wrenching murder case exposes the dark underbelly of criminality and the devastating consequences of unchecked malevolence. As the perpetrators face the consequences of their actions, the memory of Owen Fairclough lives on as a symbol of the enduring pursuit of justice amidst tragedy.