GARDENER JAILED FOR MURDERING LOVER IN SURREY WOODS
Peter Ling, a gardener, has been handed a life sentence after being convicted of the murder of Linda Casey, in Surrey.Her body was discovered in Banstead Woods on August 13, five days after she was reported missing.
Although Ling initially admitted to hitting her with a rock, he denied murdering her at first.
The judge, Giles Forrester, ordered that Ling serve at least 18 years behind bars, citing intense jealousy as the motive, and described his feelings: "You were jealous, jealous beyond measure." Court evidence revealed that Ling attacked Ms.
Casey with a lump of flint after finding out she was seeing another man.
At the time, Ling was married, and he claimed he was provoked, saying he ‘lost it’ during their encounter in the woods.
He explained that he was emotionally upset after reading her emails and viewing dating profiles suggesting her relationship with another man.
The court noted her body was partly decomposed, with injuries to her head and face, and a nearby piece of flint.
Her clothes were neatly folded and found in a tree.
The family of Ms.
Casey released a statement expressing their sorrow and condemning the violence involved.
Surrey Police stated that Ling lured her into a secluded area, murdered her with force, and then tried to cover up her death by hiding her body and abandoning her car nearby.
The case demonstrates how Ling’s jealousy and emotional decline culminated in a deadly assault, with the court emphasizing his uncontrolled behavior and the extreme severity of the violence committed.
