Louise Parry & South Beds News Agency
BBC News, Bedfordshire
A man named Robert Brown has been sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison for the murder of Victoria Greenwood, a 41-year-old sex worker. Brown, 38, from Hitchin Road in Luton, was found guilty of killing Greenwood and attempting to cover his tracks by burning her body, which was discovered in a Hertfordshire car park.
The court heard that Brown arranged to meet Greenwood at his flat on the night of November 10, 2022. A pathologist’s report revealed that Greenwood had suffered skull fractures, indicating she had been struck with a heavy object. Importantly, there was no evidence that she inhaled fire fumes, suggesting she was deceased when her body was set on fire.
Detectives from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit uncovered that Brown made several trips to purchase items such as a saw, a foldable sack barrow, a jerry can, and extensive cleaning supplies over that weekend. CCTV footage showed him using the sack barrow to move a furniture unit wrapped in duct tape, which contained Greenwood’s body, to his car. He was also seen filling a container with fuel at a local petrol station.
Emergency services were alerted to the scene two days later when reports of a body on fire emerged. Brown had earlier pleaded guilty to obstructing a coroner but was found guilty of murder by a jury.
Detective Inspector Justine Jenkins, who led the investigation, expressed that Brown’s actions not only resulted in the tragic loss of life but also caused immense suffering to Greenwood’s family and friends. She emphasized the vulnerability of sex workers and reiterated the commitment to apprehending dangerous individuals while supporting initiatives to ensure their safety.