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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Ryan Merrifield

Homophobic gang who laughed while torturing doctor to death jailed for life

A 17-year-old girl and two men have been jailed for a minimum of 84 years in total for murdering a psychiatrist in a horror park attack.

Teenager Dionne Timms-Williams, then just 16, joined Jason Edwards, 25, and Lee Strickland, 36, for the brutal robbery and killing.

Father-of-two Dr Gary Jenkins, 54, was attacked in the shadow of an historic castle while audio CCTV footage captured his dying pleas for help.

A court heard Dr Jenkins went into Bute Park, Cardiff, in the early hours of the morning when the three attacked.

Timms-Williams was spotted laughing by a witness as she punched and kicked Dr Jenkins.

She could be heard shouting "Do it" in a 15-minute recording while she called the helpless victim a "f***ing pig".

Jason Edwards arriving at court in January (Dimitris Legakis/Athena Pictures)
Lee Strickland keeps his head down as he heads into his trial earlier this year (Dimitris Legakis/Athena Pictures)

Edwards could also be heard on the chilling footage as he shouted: "Stamp his head now. Stamp his head."

Cardiff Crown Court heard witness Louis Williams desperately tried to shield Dr Jenkins from the fatal blows near the Summerhouse Cafe.

He told police that Timms-Williams was: "F***ing evil. Sadistic", following the attack.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Williams said: "I still feel this is not about me. I did not get killed. I feel guilty still.

"I'm shocked that a juvenile can do such things and it has made me question our society."

Dionne Timms-Williams was caught on CCTV laughing during the attack (WALES NEWS SERVICE)
Timms-Williams in custody (South Wales Police/Athena Pictures)

The court heard Mr Williams was left wondering: "Should I have been a better fighter" after Dr Jenkins' horrific death.

Prosecutor Dafydd Enoch QC previously said the attackers had positioned themselves in the park "to target somebody for robbery and violence".

Strickland was spotted on CCTV just eight minutes after the attack when he attempted to buy whisky with Dr Jenkins' stolen bank card.

The court heard Edwards and Timms-Williams were also seen on security footage after they left the park and shared a hug.

Timms-Williams later gave a prepared statement to police where she claimed she was forced to join in the attack because she was "scared for her life".

She said: "I was terrified and scared for my life.

"I thought if I didn't do what he wanted I would die. I couldn't believe what was going on."

Dr Gary Jenkins suffered horrific brain injuries (PA)
Dr Jenkins died in hospital (Family handout/Athena Pictures)

The trial previously heard bisexual Dr Jenkins had gone to the park looking to meet "like-minded men" on July 20 last year.

He was rushed to the University Hospital of Wales but he died of an "unsurvivable brain injury" 16 days later.

In a victim impact statement, his wife said the family's "world fell apart" when they found out about the attack.

She said: "As a family we were devastated to learn about what happened to Gary as he was such a kind soul who would not hurt anyone.

"Gary was smart and funny and the heart and soul of every party.

The chilling moment Timms-Williams was filmed laughing after the brutal assault (Police handout)

"After seeing Gary in hospital unconscious and unrecognisable we have all had to face up to the nightmare of what happened to him."

Mrs Jenkins said their daughters have struggled in school and have recurrent nightmares following their father's death.

She said her husband "always went the extra mile" for his patients and was a "humane, kind, compassionate" doctor.

She added: "We can't bring Gary back. There are no winners in this case, only losers."

Edwards, Strickland and Timms-Williams pleaded guilty to manslaughter, robbery and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

But they were found guilty of murder after a trial at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court.

Timms-Williams, Edwards and Strickland on the night of the attack (South Wales Police/Athena Pictures)

Defending Caroline Rees QC, for Timms-Williams, said the teenager had borderline personality disorder and experienced alcohol and drug dependency following trauma.

The court heard Timms-Williams had received a caution in 2019 for possessing a blade.

Edwards had 35 previous convictions and Lee Strickland had 58 convictions on his record.

Judge Daniel Williams said: “Gary Jenkins was kind, generous, he was compassionate and was humane. He was a much loved husband, a father, a brother, an uncle and a friend.

“He gave his professional life as a psychiatrist to relieve suffering of others and he went the extra mile for his patients.

"All those who knew and loved him have been left with a void in their lives which will never be filled. The world is eternally drabber for his passing.

"It’s a loss of kindness, a loss of colour, a loss of humour, music and energy.

“It will be of some comfort for those who endure his loss to reflect on the good he did his in 54 years and not the terrible moments of his death.”

The judge said the three went to Bute Park to target homosexual men who they believed were unlikely to report crime to police.

He added: "It was sheer homophobia."

Edwards and Strickland were bother sentenced to life with a minimum of 33 years.

Dionne Timms-Williams was handed a life sentence with a minimum of 18 years.

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