Martin Stafford jailed over Michelle Gunshon murder

A man has been jailed for at least 33 years for murdering a female security guard who disappeared eight years ago.

The body of Michelle Gunshon has
never been found

Martin Stafford, 44, was working as a glass collector in the Birmingham pub where Michelle Gunshon, 38, was staying when she went missing in December 2004.

Stafford, from Dublin, was also found guilty of false imprisonment, rape and preventing the burial of a body after a Birmingham Crown Court trial.

He had served time for rape and false imprisonment in Ireland.

He fled to Ireland after murdering Ms Gunshon and was extradited to stand trial in the UK.

Ms Gunshon, from Mill Hill, north London, went missing while she was staying at the Dubliner pub in High Street, Digbeth.

The mother-of-three had been working at the Clothes Show Live event at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC).

Her body has never been found and her disappearance left her family with a "chilling silence", the court heard.

Stafford was caught on film by speed cameras at the wheel of Ms Gunshon's Ford Escort following her disappearance. Her car was found abandoned a few days later.

'Selective amnesia'

Prosecutor James Curtis QC had told the jury it was entitled to know Stafford's previous convictions for overpowering woman and forcing them to undergo sexual violations.

Martin Stafford fled to Ireland after
murdering Ms Gunshon

Stafford was jailed for life, with a minimum tariff of 33 years.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the guilty verdict and minimum sentence reflected "how dangerous an individual Martin Stafford is".

Harinderpal Dhami, crown advocate of the West Midlands CPS, said: "The jury saw through his selective amnesia answers and reached the only right and proper conclusion from all of the evidence which had been painstakingly collected by the police over the last seven years."

Det Insp Simon Astle, who led the case, said: "This has been a long and complex inquiry and we welcome the verdict of the court today.

"We will not give up in our efforts to trace Michelle's body.

"Clearly Martin Stafford can assist us with that and we will make every effort to provide him with that opportunity."

Issuing a statement through police, Ms Gunshon's family said: "Martin Stafford is a danger to people and should not be allowed out.

"We may have justice but our mum is still out there somewhere and only Martin Stafford knows where.

"Our only wish for the future is that mum is found and this can finally be over and we can grieve properly."

For all your security guard services, door supervisors, event security services, mobile patrol Services, alarm response services, retail security services or to find out how CedarOak Security Guard Company can improve your security email info@cedaroaksecurity.co.uk NOW!

Security Services in Kent, Security Guard Company in Kent, Security Services in Berkshire, Security Guard Company in Berkshire, Security Services in Surrey, Security Guard Company in Surrey, Security Services in Essex, Security Guard Company in Essex, Security Services in London, Security Guard Company in London, Security Services in Bedfordshire, Security Guard Company in Bedfordshire, CedarOak security guard company provides security guard services in Berkshire - Reading, Bedfordshire - Bedford, Essex - Chelmsford, Surrey-Guildford, Kent-Maidstone, Hertfordshire -Hertford, London, Retail Security Company in London, Retail Security Company in Kent, Retail Security Company in Essex, Retail Security Company in Surrey, Retail Security Company in Bedfordshire, Retail Security Company in Hertfordshire, Security Guard Services, Alarm Response Services, Alarm response Company in London, Alarm response Company in Kent, Mobile Patrol Services, Mobile Patrol Company in London, Mobile Patrol Company in Kent, Retail Security Services, Door Supervisors, Security Guard Company, Event Security Company, Event Security Company in Kent, Event Security Company in Essex, Event Security Company in Surrey, Event Security Company in Berkshire, Event Security Company in London, Event Security Company in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, Door Supervisors London, Door Supervisors Kent, Door Supervisors Surrey, Door Supervisors Essex, Door Supervisors in London, Door Supervisors in Kent, Door Supervisors in Surrey, Door Supervisors in Essex, Business Forums, Event Security in Kent, Event Security in Essex, Event Security in London, Door Supervisors company in London, security companies, security companies in London, security companies in Kent, security companies in Bedfordshire, security companies in Hertfordshire, security companies in surrey, security companies in Essex, security companies in Berkshire, event security London, event security Essex, event security Kent, Event security surrey, event security Hertfordshire, event security Berkshire, event security Bedfordshire, FATCAT - Free Classifieds Site in Nigeria, FATDADDY - Free Classifieds Site in United Kingdom