Murder victim 'left clues to find killer', court hears

Alex Morgan left a note and directions to Little Bridge Farm where she feared she would meet her death, Duncan Atkinson KC told a jury.

Mark Brown, 41, from Squirrel Close in St Leonards, denies murdering two women at Little Bridge Farm, near Hastings.

The jury was shown screenshots of WhatsApp messages between sex worker Alex Morgan and Mark Brown in the days before she disappeared on November 14 last year.

In the messages, he writes: “A job has come up I could use you on. It’s risk-free and worth a lot of money. Over a 100k. I’ll fill you in properly in person.”

Duncan Atkinson told the jury Mark Brown had been searching for violent porn online around the same time.

Alex Morgan (Image: Sussex News and Pictures)

He said: “Just before the second set of messages, the defendant had searched the word ‘beaten’ and that just after the last set he had searched the word ‘rape’.

“You will want to consider whether it is a coincidence that Alex Morgan should die when she attended her rendezvous, or whether what she feared was what the defendant intended.”

Mother-of-two Alexandra, 34, from Sissinghurst in Kent was last seen at a petrol station in Cranbrook in May last year.

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Part-time security guard and labourer, Mark Brown had offered Alex Morgan a large sum of money to spend a number of days with him.

“The defendant had offered her an extremely well-paid job at the hotel that he provided security at, and thus in Brighton.

“She clearly realised that it may not be above board, because she left that trail of clues for her sons, and the police, to find.”

Alex Morgan was last seen at a petrol station in May last year (Image: Kent Police)

Police found a large sum of cash, mobile telephone and handwritten notes at Alex Morgan’s home.

One note included the PIN for a mobile phone.

The phone had stored pictures which the note described as “photos evidence Brighton Premier Inn or Travel Lodge, security company on site”.

The note also included instructions on where to find Little Bridge Farm, which read: “check postcode TN34 5NY Rock Lane, opposite Bartletts”.

Mr Atkinson told the jury: “The note thus referred to where the defendant worked as security and to the location where Morgan was to travel to meet him, and, perhaps as she feared, to meet her death.”

Mark Brown had been working at a building site in Sevenoaks when Alex Morgan disappeared.

He asked his employer if he could dump something in a skip.

Charred teeth and bone fragments were found in a skip, which police identified as belonging to Alex Morgan (Image: Kent Police)

Police identified charred teeth and bone fragments found around a brazier in the skip as belonging to Alex Morgan.

Jewellery and hair straighteners belonging to Alex Morgan were also found in the skip.

“You can therefore conclude that beyond question, very sadly, Alexandra Morgan is dead,” Mr Atkinson said.

Mark Brown denies the murders of Alexandra Morgan, 34, and Leah Ware, 33.

The trial continues.