Teenager who killed teaching assistant before moving her body in a wheelie bin is named by judge
A teenage boy who killed a teaching assistant and hid her body in a cemetery close to the remains of his grandfather, has been named after a judge lifted an anonymity order banning his identification.
Rocky Marciano Price, 17, admitted burying Lindsay Birbeck, 47, at Accrington Cemetery, but denied murdering her, claiming he had agreed to conceal her body after being offered money by a mystery stranger.
But the jury at Preston Crown Court found him guilty of murdering the mother of two in what the police described as a “truly despicable crime”.
Price could not be named during the trial because he has not yet turned 18, but the judge lifted the order preventing his identification, following an application by the media.
The jury had been told that Ms Birbeck had been missing for 12 days when her body was discovered wrapped in two plastic bags in Accrington cemetery, which was where several members of Price’s family - including his grandfather - had been laid to rest.
The court heard how Price, had been on the prowl for lone females, in a wooded area known as the Coppice.
A postmortem examination concluded the cause of death was severe compression to the neck, which could have been inflicted in several ways, including through stamping, or kicking, or kneeling.
No evidence of a sexual assault could be found but the pathologist said an attempt had been made to cut off a leg, possibly with a saw.
After Ms Birbeck’s body was found the police released CCTV footage of a young man pulling a blue wheelie bin down the road close to the cemetery, prompting Price to come forward.
In an account described by the prosecution as “implausible fiction”, the teenager, who was 16 at the time claimed he had been approached by a stranger who had offered him a large amount of cash to get rid of the body.
Giving evidence, Price said: “I have not met this man before. I have not met him since, nor have I had any contact with him. He has not paid me money. He told me he would leave the money for me near where the body had been at first once everything was clear.”
The court heard that Price, who had an IQ of just 65, had no previous convictions and lived at home with his parents and five siblings.
He was described as an exceptionally quiet teenager who, despite his learning difficulties, had a very supportive family.
After being diagnosed with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder he attended a specialist school, where teachers described him as "pretty much non-verbal".
It was said he had a "limited understanding" of his own emotional wellbeing and appeared to have little insight into the link between events and emotions.
Price regularly attended a gym and preferred to be outdoors at school.
He achieved the Duke of Edinburgh's Bronze Award and it was hoped he could go on to college and take a course in gardening.
Price will be sentenced on Friday.
