Killer of Nicole Cartmell facing life sentence

A killer who concealed his girlfriend's body under the floorboards of his lounge is facing a life sentence after today being found guilty of murder this afternoon.

Jurors unanimously convicted Stephen Devesey, 21, after hearing how he lied to his victim's mother on the night of the killing in an attempt to cover his tracks.

A two-week trial at Birmingham Crown Court was told that Devesey killed 18-year-old Nicole Cartmell, from West Bromwich, almost three weeks before her decomposing body was found at his terraced home in Whateley Road, Handsworth on March 2 last year.

Devesey, who did not give evidence to the court, had submitted through his barrister that he had no involvement in his girlfriend's death.

Opening the case against him at the start of the trial, prosecutor Timothy Barnes QC claimed Devesey had repeatedly lied to police, Miss Cartmell's mother and other people about her whereabouts.

Mr Barnes told the court: "What caused him to kill her on that day we do not know.

"When he had killed her, the defendant prised up some floorboards in the front room of his address and dropped the body into the cellar some 7ft below."

Miss Cartmell, was reported missing by her family on February 14 and was living with her mother when she disappeared after having disagreements with Devesey.

Devesey, who had no previous convictions for violence, was being sentenced by Mrs Justice Thirlwall later today.