Murderer guilty of stabbing woman to death in Dartford

Nicholas Fryers, 55, denied the attack but was found guilty at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday (November 17).

He was working at a distribution centre in Littlebrook Manor Way, as part of a day release, having previously been convicted of murder in Wales in 1993.

The court heard that he had been working at the site for around two months and had become “obsessed” with another employee.

He was buying her gifts and “bombarding her” with text messages which made her concerned about his behaviour, the court heard.

On the evening of Sunday, April 9, she told Fryers that she no longer wanted to have a friendship with him.

He later told her that he was about to leave the site and she should collect her belongings from his car.

As they walked to his car, he began attacking her with a screwdriver.

Fryers stabbed the victim, 24, with the screwdriver in her head, chest and back.

As the stabbing took place, two men who worked separately at the site tried to intervene and prevent the attack.

Fryers then got into his vehicle and fled the car park.

The victim managed to run from the scene and get first aid before being taken to hospital.

Before Fryers drove out of the car park, one of the men who attempted to intervene was able to remove his car registration plate.

Officers from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate were notified of the incident and were able to trace this registration number as the vehicle left Kent.

Fryers was identified as travelling towards Preston in Lancashire, where he was arrested at around 3.17am on 10 April.

He was later charged in connection with the incident.

Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Ross Gurden said: “Fryers completely lost control and launched a vicious attack on a young woman who was alone with him in a car park.

“He is a dangerous man and I’m pleased the jury found him guilty and that he has been held accountable for his actions. He now faces a lengthy sentence behind bars.”