(AFP) A millionaire accused of strangling a call-girl allegedly wrote a shopping list of items to use in her murder, including string and tape, a British court was told on Tuesday.
Peter Morgan, 54, is accused of murdering 25-year-old Georgina Symonds, whom he paid up to £10,000 (US$12,500) a month to be his personal escort.
He also paid for her plastic surgery and rented a bungalow for her close to Newport, south Wales, which he allegedly bugged.
Through the listening device Symonds was heard on January 10 telling her new boyfriend that she planned to leave Morgan and blackmail him, the court was told.
Prosecutor William Hughes said hours later Morgan drew up a shopping list on his phone, reading: “String, 02 (sim card), poly, glove, snip, handle, tape, Special K, starter, rag, adapter”.
“It mirrors the items found by the police that had been used to kill, conceal and transport Georgina’s body,” Hughes said.
Morgan is accused of strangling Symonds, wrapping her body in polythene sheeting, and dumping her corpse close to the home which his estranged wife shared with the couple’s two daughters.
Symonds was reported missing after she failed to pick up her five-year-old daughter from school and Morgan later confessed to her killing, the court heard.
“I strangled her this morning. I love her so much,” he was quoted as telling police officers.
Morgan described himself as her “sugar daddy” in police interviews and has claimed he has Asperger syndrome and killed Symonds following a “loss of control” after listening in to her conversation.
