GUILTY UK - Bobbi-Anne Mcleod,18, ‘did not arrive to meet friends’ Plymouth, 20 Nov 2021 *Arrest*

10:54CHRIS MATTHEWS

Interviewed under caution​

Ackland was interviewed for 35 minutes. His solicitor read a prepared statement in which he admitted being solely responsible. The statement read: "I took her from the bus stop and left her body at location I left her. I decided to tell police to help them and her family. Nobody else was involved. There was nothing sexual about this incident. I did not touch Bobbi-Anne in a sexual way."

 
10:57CHRIS MATTHEWS

"Harrowing and disturbing confession"​

In a further interview Ackland spoke of a difficult childhood and poor mental health. He said on the night in question his intention was to go to Leadworks. He said he was wound up and annoyed after a recent break-up. He said Bobbi-Anne resembled a few people he went out with in the past and the act wasn't planned.

 
11:01CHRIS MATTHEWS

Ackland's search history​

Ackland search history revealed internet searches for the following

August - Ted Bundy sketch

August - Ted Bundy dead victim bodies

September - Golden State Killer

October - Ukrainian serial killer bodies

November - Searched for Australian serial killer and his victim's bodies

November - Fred West.

Week before Bobbi-Anne's death - Searches for Fred West, Ted Bundy etc.

Days before - Searches for US serial killer Richard Chase and his victim's bodies.

Searches for Dartmoor and Fernworthy forests.

Day Bobbi-Anne went missing - Searching for B&Q and book about Ted Bundy.

After he came home, after Bobbi-Anne had been murdered, looking at clothing on Urban Outfitters.

On the Tuesday searched for the detective leading the appeal.

 
11:04CHRIS MATTHEWS

Images on Ackland's phone​

3,216 images on device including "disturbing and dark" subject matter from horror films. Mr Posner says Ackland's interest in the macabre shows a "deep rooted fascination in death". Ackland also had pictures of dead bodies and numerous images of serial killers, police appeals for the victims and the weapons used to kill them.

 
11:08CHRIS MATTHEWS

Confession​

Ackland said he approached Bobbi-Anne from behind at the bus stop and hit her from behind with a clawhammer. He said "that was meant to be it" but she looked at him so he did it again. Ackland said he got in car and was about to drive away but saw her sit up with blood on her head. He said he then drove up next to Bobbi-Anne and put her in the car and covered her in a jacket to avoid being seen.

 
11:13CHRIS MATTHEWS

Confession continued​

Ackland said he then strangled Bobbi-Anne and took her somewhere to dispose of her thinking she was dead. Ackland said he drove to Bellever Forest and heard Bobbi-Anne so he walked her out of the car proppring her up "like a drunken walk". Bobbi-Anne said she was scared to which Ackland replied "so am I, I've never done this".
Ackland said he 'knew what he had to do' so hit Bobbi-Anne with the hammer 12 times. He said he saw signs of life again and thought "hats off to her" before burning her property. He then put his foot on Bobbi's Anne's throat before feeling that she had died.

 

If you've been affected by the coverage, there are places you can seek help​

We will always endeavour to bring you the news - accurately, fairly, with clarity and honesty - and we hope our reports of Cody Ackland's sentencing will provide all of that. However, please recognise that we do understand that any reporting of this case will be very painful to hear and as such, we have made the decision to not give some of the details which may be revealed in court today. We recognise that other news organisations, newspapers and websites, may choose a different path and that is for them. We hope you understand the reason for our decision.

For Plymouth support groups and online help pages, click here.

 
11:24CHRIS MATTHEWS

What Ackland did next​

In his confession Ackland spoke of driving towards Plymstock before ending up at the lane at Bovisand. He said he removed Bobbi-Anne's clothes and jewellery to get rid of evidence as they were both covered in blood, before dumping her down a steep bank. There was no evidence whatsoever of any sexual assault of Bobbi-Anne.
Ackland put Bobbi-Anne's belongings and his bloody top in the car before driving home and going to bed. Blood around Ackland's car matched that of Bobbi-Anne and it was clear she had been beaten in the car.

 
11:29CHRIS MATTHEWS

Mr Posner continues​

Remnants of the fire at Bellever Woods were examined by police. Bobbi-Anne's blood was ound on several stones in the car park.
At 6:49pm on the night she went missing Bobbi-Anne posted on Snapchat a picture of her feet at the bus stop saying she was cold. This was the last thing she ever posted.
Mobile phone data showed Ackland arrived home at the same time Bobbi-Anne's mum reported her missing.
He threw the hammer used to kill Bobbi-Anne into the Tamar. It has never been recovered despite extensive searches.
The bag containing the clothes was discarded at allotments near to where Ackland lived.

 
11:36CHRIS MATTHEWS

Ackland's happier than usual the next day​

In Ackland's bedroom police found trainers stained with Bobbi-Anne's blood.
Ackland collected a friend on Sunday evening who noticed nothing unusual about his car as it was always messy.
He said Ackland seemed "happier than usual" that night and was laughing and joking. Ackland told a psychiatrist feelings of depression he had before killing Bobbi-Anne were gone.
After leaving the restaurant they went to band practice in Stonehouse. Another band member remembers asking Ackland why he was so happy.
On the Monday Ackland called in sick to decorate leadworks. He said his own family were sharing Bobbi-Anne missing posts and that it was "close to home".
He also went to the cinema on The Barbican and was sharing and storing images of Bobbi-Anne.
Ackland returned to Leadworks after the cinema. The following day he went into work before deciding to go to the police.
He had a last beer in the car as he thought it may have been his last for some time.

 
11:43CHRIS MATTHEWS

Victim impact statement from Bobbi-Anne's mother​

"Bobbi-Anne was kind, loving, loyal. She had so many life plans and everyone who met her loved her. She wanted to get a degree and become an interior designer. She had applied for a driving licence and opened her first bank account. Stepping stones in life.
"Her last words were to tell her dad "love you". We will never see her beautiful face again unless we see a picture. We have not been able to say goodbye and we can only remember the awful things you've done to her. Bobbi-Anne was so loved. To know her final hours were spent being tortured kills us inside. Not being there for her and able to comfort her makes us feel like we have failed her.
"Every new day is a reminder of what you took away. We wish we don't feel anymore and wake up from a nightmare to a room full of people and Bobbi-Anne telling her stories.. Bobbi-Anne's room is still how it was. It is hard to open the door. Nothing the justice system can impose on you is enough.
"We ask ourselves why - why you did what you did and why you threw her away like rubbish."

 
11:50CHRIS MATTHEWS

Mitigation​

Ray Tully QC, on behalf of Ackland, says nothing he can say can make life better for the family of Bobbi-Anne and they will rightfully hold utter hatred for man he represents in their head and heart.
He said that Ackland has at least provided the authorities with a "grotesque" account of what happened which was "harrowing to hear" but that some family of victims in these type of crimes never get to hear that as the culprits don't divulge details of what they did.

 

Tears in court​

During some of the statement by the prosecutor, the details have been so heartbreaking, so unutterably shocking that at one difficult point a man, a family member of Bobbi-Anne, was led from the courtroom sobbing.

As a victim impact statement by Donna, Bobbi-Anne's mother, is read out about the agony they suffer, more family members break down in tears.

Ackland has spent most of the hearing with his right hand up to his face, his first and second finger alongside his right cheek, as if hiding his face from the public gallery.

 

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