‘I hope she haunts you forever’: Sister of woman murdered by ‘sadistic’ porn-obsessed lab technician, 30, brands killer ‘a monster’ as he’s jailed for 23 years for strangling her to death and slitting her throat after dating for less than a month
A porn-obsessed lab technician who strangled his colleague girlfriend to death in his house he shared with his parents before cutting her throat and dumping her body in a country lane was today jailed for life with a minimum term of 23 years.
Ross McCullam, 30, murdered 23-year-old Megan Newborough just minutes after she came to his home for the first time after they had been going out for less than a month before desperately trying to cover his tracks.
He was jailed at Leicester Crown Court today in front of more than 20 members of Miss Newborough’s family, with her older sister, Claire, telling him in a tearful victim impact statement: ‘I hope she haunts you forever.’
Judge Philip Head described the killing as a ‘truly dreadful’ crime and said of ‘stellar’ Miss Newborough, from Nuneaton in Warwickshire: ‘It was her dreadful misfortune to become involved in a relationship with you.’
Ross McCullum (L), who has been convicted of murdering his work colleague Megan Newborough (R) whom he had just begun a relationship with
McCullam, of Coalville, Leicestershire, had claimed he acted only in a ‘blind rage’ after a loss of control which Miss Newborough had inadvertently triggered during oral sex, after an incident at his parents’ home on August 6, 2021.
The killer, who met his victim at brickmaker Ibstock where both worked, sought to blame his attack on undiagnosed PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) caused by unreported childhood sexual abuse.
After the attack, McCullam drove his victim’s body in her own car to a remote rural location near the village of Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire, before dumping her body in undergrowth and changing his blood-stained clothes.
He then texted her to say ‘you were amazing’ and asking if she had got home safe.
Miss Newborough, a vicar’s granddaughter about to buy her first house, was eventually found two days later after her worried parents reported her missing
Giving evidence in his own defence, McCullam said he erupted ‘like a volcano’ and attacked Miss Newborough after she touched him intimately because it triggered memories of childhood sexual abuse, which included being targeted by notorious schoolgirl killer Stephen Beadman, who raped and murdered Kayleigh Haywood in 2015.
However, jurors rejected his version of events and he was found guilty of murder on Monday after around 90 minutes’ deliberation.
After carrying out the slaying, McCullam viewed YouTube videos about infamous convict Charles Bronson, and repeatedly researched serial killer Levi Belfield, who murdered teenager Milly Dowler, Soham monster Ian Huntley, Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe and the Manchester Arena bombing.
He also searched for ‘domination pornography’, and watched 17 minutes of explicit videos the morning after the killing – around the same time he was sending messages to Miss Newborough’s phone as part of a sick attempt to appear worried about her disappearance.
McCullam, who was stood in the court dock to hear the jury, nodded twice as the verdict was read by the foreman. Pictured, Miss Newborough
Megan Newborough had only just begun seeing Ross McCullam when he killed her
Addressing McCullam directly in court today, Miss Newborough’s sister Claire added: ‘You are an unpredictable menace, and a real danger to women, you seem obsessed with serial killers and murderers of women, and appear to crave some sort of notoriety
‘We have no idea what Megan possibly saw in you. She always thought she could fix people, but fixing evil is not possible.
‘We do know that you tricked her, murdered her, brutalised her, and left her in such an undignifed way. I hope that she haunts you forever.’
Judge Phillip Head jailed McCullam for life, and said he must serve at least 23 years in jail before he can be considered for release, minus time already served.
He told McCullam: ‘Megan had already achieved so much and had a glowing future. Everyone spoke of her stellar personal and work qualities.
‘Your whole history was one of frustration and difficulty. You were very conscious and deeply envious of her achievements and qualities, such marked contrast to your own.
‘It was her dreadful misfortune to become involved in a relationship with you.’
Leicestershire Police handout photo of a screengrab of a Ring doorbell camera at Miss Newborough’s home. This was the last time she was seen alive
CCTV captured McCullam changing his bloodstained clothing in Loughborough
The judge said McCullam had ‘longstanding sexual difficulties and was clearly very anxious and self conscious’ about his issues with impotence, adding: ‘At the critical moment the dam of your rage burst.
‘It was very likely to have been sexual frustration at that point working with your other grievances. You knew exactly what you were doing.’
The court heard McCullam and Miss Newborough were in a ‘relationship of sorts’ at the time of the murder, but just 13 days beforehand McCullam met a woman ‘by chance’ while out drinking in Coalville and exchanged messages with her over the next 48 hours that prosecutors said ‘betrayed a sexualised tone’ and disclosed certain ‘vulgar’ scenarios.
In one message McCullam wrote: ‘I’ll tell you one thing I like doing is tying them up to the bed or bench, choking and slapping them’. He added: ‘They all look scared at first but enjoy it a lot once it’s happening’.
McCullam went on to say: ‘I kind of like it when they’re a bit scared.’
He was arrested on suspicion of kidnap after Miss Newborough was reported missing at 12pm on August 7, admitting when quizzed by police later that day that she was dead, and telling officers where they could find her body.
Investigators are pictured in this body cam footage searching for Megan’s body just off a country lane
In a victim impact statement, Miss Newborough’s father, Anthony, said the family’s life had been ‘ripped apart by an evil human being.’
He added: ‘She was our beautiful and treasured daughter. Our hearts have been shattered into million pieces. Something died in us that day. No parent should have to bury their child.
‘Megan had no idea of the evil terror about to face her at the hands of the man she had met at work. We still ask ourselves if we should have known, and are overcome with guilt at not protecting Megan.
‘In my opinion he is a very dangerous man and should remain behind bars for as long as he lives.
‘It is like a horror film, but a true story, Megan’s story, and our story.
‘She was our Princess, and the defendant, along with his evil strength and hands, has taken Megan away from us forever.’
McCullam embarked on an elaborate cover-up, driving Megan’s body in her own car to a country lane, where he dumped her remains near Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire. Pictured, a police car near where Megan’s body was recovered
Detective Inspector Jenni Heggs, senior investigating officer from East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: ‘Today’s outcome is the end of a lengthy trial which recounted in great detail the weeks and days leading up to her death – and McCullum’s attempts to cover up his actions.
‘He has never been able to give a full explanation of why he killed Megan. This, without doubt, has caused further pain to her family and friends.
‘She was only 23, with her whole life ahead of her and I know those who knew her are still struggling to come to terms with what happened. I hope today’s outcome provides them with a degree of closure.’