DNA linked to Paul Taylor was found on the cap of a liquid bottle stashed under decking at the home of his killer, a court has heard.
The disappearance of Mr Taylor, an army veteran and married father-of-two, sparked a murder probe and extensive searches after he vanished from his family home.
He was last seen by his wife, Maria, on the evening of October 17 2023, when, she recalled, he was absolutely normal and laughing away.
A short time later, Mr Taylor drove across the border to Carlisle in his blue Vauxhall Corsa and was never seen alive again.
Jack Crawley, then aged 19 and now 20, later led police to woodland west of the city where Mr Taylor’s skeletal remains were found in a shallow grave.
When brought to court, Crawley admitted manslaughter by unlawful killing. But he denies a murder which a prosecutor has alleged was both premeditated, planned and resulted in Mr Taylor’s head being completely smashed in.
Crawley is on trial at Carlisle Crown Court, where jurors today saw the moment he was detained by police on suspicion of Mr Taylor’s murder.
Crawley’s Sheehan Crescent home in Carlisle was searched by police for several days.
A pig mask, rope, duct tape and cable ties were found. Under a loose section of decking in the back garden was what a detective told jurors was a significant find.
The court was shown an image of a clear plastic bag containing an orange-handled box-cutter knife and a bottle of the chemical liquid known as pentyl, or poppers.
The bottle was identical to those bought by Mr Taylor on three separate dates earlier in 2023 from a Carlisle sex shop.
A forensic scientist found a mixed DNA profile on the ridged cap area. In the scientist’s opinion, the findings provided extremely strong support for the proposition that Paul Taylor is a contributor of DNA to the mixed DNA result obtained from the ridged area of the cap of the pentyl bottle.
During one of several interviews with police, Crawley denied having any involvement in Mr Taylor’s death.
When asked about his own sexuality, Crawley first said the question was way too personal. He later stated he was heterosexual.
When asked for his thoughts on homosexuality, Crawley replied: “It doesn’t really bother me. People can choose their sexuality, it’s up to them.”
A security night supervisor at Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary, Crawley also said he couldn’t discriminate against anybody through his other work on pub doors.
In a prepared statement, Crawley also said: “I did not murder Paul Taylor.” He also stated he had seen missing person posters at the hospital where Mr Taylor also worked as a catering manager.
He admitted previously being involved in the supply of cannabis and poppers.
Jurors have seen a detailed timeline of events both before and after Mr Taylor’s disappearance which has included data recovered from phones used by Crawley.
On October 20, Crawley made an online search — later deleted — with the words “can you work abroad with an SIA (Security Industry Authority) badge?” There were also several searches for this website, Cumbria Crack, in the days after Mr Taylor went missing and also one using the Latin phrase memento mori — remember you must die.
Crawley further denies a charge alleging the attempted murder hammer attack of a man in York several months after Mr Taylor’s death.
A second Carlisle man, aged 20, denies assisting Crawley by helping to dispose of Mr Taylor’s car.
The trial continues, and is due to resume on Monday.
