Teenager who brutally strangled girlfriend to death sentenced to minimum of 17 years in prison

The teenager who strangled his girlfriend to death after she begged for help has been sentenced to life behind bars with a minimum term of 17 years.

Courtney Boorne, 20, was heard desperately screaming for help from a fourteenth floor window ledge just before being found unresponsive at Quarry Green Heights flats in Kirkby on December 23 last year. Just one hour earlier, care worker Ms Boorne had rung her mum telling her if she did not hear from her in an hour to call the police.

Merseyside Police found the 20-year-old unresponsive on the bed, with marks on her neck, when they arrived at the scene and burst through the door. She also had bite marks on her fingers where her boyfriend of around five years had bitten her as she desperately tried to fend him off.

Ms Boorne later died in hospital. A post-mortem recorded her death by mechanical asphyxiation by strangulation or suffocation.

On Christmas Day, detectives charged Liam Cain, 19, of Skipton Road, Anfield with her murder. The teenager pleaded not guilty in court and claimed he was acting in self defence but, on Wednesday, he was found unanimously guilty of Ms Boorne’s murder.

Today (July 21), Cain was sentenced Iife in custody with a minimum term of 17 years. He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court via video link and Judge Brian Cummings, KC said Cain had strangled Miss Boorne at least twice during her ordeal before the final fatal attack.

The trial: A jury was told that Ms Boorne lived in a fourteenth floor flat with her partner Cain and on Friday, December 23, CCTV footage showed them coming and going from their home. Boorne spoke to her mum for the last time at 3.39 pm and around 4.40 pm, a woman rang the police from her home in Quarry Green, saying she could see a female in the flats opposite ‘screaming and climbing onto the window ledge.’

Gordon Cole, KC, prosecuting told Liverpool Crown Court that the witness said Ms Boorne appeared to be shouting at someone in the flat. She was shouting ‘please’ and saying, ‘he has all the doors locked and he won’t let me out’, claimed Mr Cole. Another woman witness also rang the police, saying a female was hanging out of the window screaming ‘call the police’ and ‘he’s choking me’ before the window was then closed.

The court heard that Cain, who was found crouching down leaning on an armchair in the living room when police arrived, had sent a text to his dad saying: “I love you the world, everyone, I am so sorry, tell everyone.”

Andrew Radcliffe, KC, defending, said police had found the defendant howling or wailing. He added: His actions resulted from a very young man who had begun to realise exactly what he’d done and the desperate finality of what had occurred at his hands. The defence submit that what met the police was a clear indication of the most profound regret for what he’d done and indicates remorse.”

He pointed out the immaturity of the defendant who was poorly “almost non-educated” and said that the victim’s mum had described his behaviour as “out of character”.

During sentencing, Judge Cummings told Cain: “I cannot accept you have shown any meaningful remorse. It is perfectly true you were in a highly distressed state when the police eventually gained entry.

“But remorse is a different thing. It means being sorry for what you have done and you can’t be sorry for what you’ve done if you’re denying you’ve done anything wrong, especially when that involves blaming the victim and making derogatory accusations about her character.

“I reject the suggestion that Courtney Boorne attacked you. You were the attacker and she was the victim, pure and simple so any injuries were caused by her in the act of attempting to defend herself, tragically without success.”

“You put all the blame on the victim and claimed you were acting in self-defence. I am sure on the whole of the evidence that, certainly by the end, you acted with intent to kill. This was a domestic violence murder against a background of previous possessive or controlling behaviour on your part… Against that background, you murdered her in her own home.”

He said that Cain had locked the internal vestibule door. “You had trapped her in the flat... You had blocked her only way out.”

“I am entirely satisfied that for a period of an hour or more, she was in a state of fear for her life as you on at least two occasions and probably more strangled and or smothered her, ultimately to death.

“Her final moments don’t bear thinking about.”

Support: If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, you can report by calling 101, if you are not in an emergency situation. If you are in immediate danger, always call 999.

Merseyside Police advise that if you ring 999 and are not in a safe position to speak, then cough or tap the phone and press 55, when prompted. This will alert the operator that you need assistance. For more information please contact local support organisations here.