Ashley Crowder refused to attend his sentencing hearing at Bolton Crown Court on Wednesday, July 29, as victim impact statements were read by members of Graham Cox's family. The 37-year-old was convicted of murder last month after a trial found he held Mr Cox hostage for two weeks and drained his bank account.
The crime
Mr Cox, also 37, was found dead under a blanket on a sofa in Crowder's flat in Farnworth on March 4, 2024. Paramedics said he was "cold to the touch" with signs of rigor mortis. Jurors heard Mr Cox had reported going 14 days without food and was forced to hand over his benefits to Crowder, who beat and strangled him to death. The exact date of death is not known. Mr Cox managed to escape through a window and went to the UCAN centre in Farnworth, where he reported being held hostage by Crowder. He was described as a vulnerable drug addict with various medical conditions, and his own home on St James Street had been uninhabitable for weeks.
Crowder told officers he was "just about to phone the ambulance" when they arrived. He denied physically and financially abusing Mr Cox. However, a jury found him guilty of murder, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and four counts of theft.
Victim impact statements
Sarah Davis, Mr Cox's ex-partner, described him as "a cheeky chappy" who "wouldn't hurt a fly". She said: "Graham has always loved his music from a young age. He went to music college in Manchester and passed with flying colours. He started DJing at a club in Manchester and went on to making his own music." She added that nothing made him prouder than his children and that he became involved in hard drugs after a close friend died.
Ms Davis said she continued to support Mr Cox after they separated but contact stopped. She told the court: "We did not know Graham was being treated as he was and to find out Ashley changed the next of kin broke me. My children won't be able to make amends with their dad."
Mr Cox's mother, Dawn Blackmore, said: "Graham was in care when was 14, however he and I maintained our relationship and we had regular contact and visits." Their relationship later broke down, and she said: "His senseless death has taken the hope that he would one day recover from his drug addiction. I now live with the realisation that I will never see him or hear my son's voice again."
Elisha Cox, Mr Cox's daughter, said: "We I must now face the rest of our lives without our dad. [Brother] Josh no longer has a father figure to help him navigate through life." She added: "We as a family were disgusted at the behaviour of the defendant throughout the trial. He has shown no remorse. His actions have demonstrated a disregard for both us and the proceedings."
Sentencing hearing
Prosecuting, Mukul Chawla KC told the court: "It is the prosecution's case that this is a sadistic crime involving a vulnerable man in no position to defend himself." He said Mr Cox was "lured to where he thought was a place of safety" before being repeatedly abused. Mr Chawla added that Crowder's crimes were "difficult to comprehend."
Mitigating, Richard Pratt KC said the length of sentence would depend on whether the Crown accepted that Crowder strangled Mr Cox and whether his motivations were sadistic. He added: "The nature of the physical abuse is extremely difficult to comprehend." He also said: "We simply do not know how frequently the events were taking place."
Judge Nicholas Clarke KC said: "Ultimately, this court has no power to force a defendant to face what he has done or face the court, so we will deal with it in his absence." Crowder will be sentenced on August 6.
