PlentyOfFish Murderer Sentenced To Life For Death Of Young School Teacher

A British man found guilty of murdering a young school teacher he met on dating site Plenty of Fish, has been handed a lifetime jail sentence.

Ex-psychiatric patient Carl Langdell appeared at St Alban’s court last Friday, where Judge Andrew Bright QC sentenced him to a minimum of 26 years imprisonment for the killing of 23-year-old Katie Locke.

The pair met on the popular dating site, and after speaking for around two weeks on the site the pair went on their first date to a bar in London on 23rd December 2015.

They then went back to 26-year-old Langdell’s hotel in Waltham Cross in the early hours of 24th December 2014, where he strangled her to death and left her body in the grounds of the hotel.

Langdell later confessed to the murder to his mother.

Following the realisation that Locke had not returned home, her family and friends aimed to identify and contact Langdell.

They managed to find and message him on Facebook, where Langdell informed them that she had left in a taxi and that he did not know her whereabouts.

It was not until Locke’s father arrived at the address associated with Langdell, that he was informed about his confession to murder to made to his mother, and only then were the police called.

Langdell later pleaded guilty to the murder, informing the police of the whereabouts of his victim’s body. 

During their conversations on the dating site, Langdell lied to Locke, telling her that he was the owner of a law firm, despite having been in psychiatric care prior to their date.

Chief Crown Prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Adrian Foster has said: “We know that nothing will bring Katie back to her family and friends, but we hope that the conviction and today’s sentence bring them at least a small sense that justice has been done.

“Our thoughts are very much with them all at this time. 

“We have worked closely with Hertfordshire Constabulary since this investigation was launched and as a result of the hard work and diligence of the prosecution team, a just outcome has been achieved.”

The victim’s family has since released a statement, warning other young women to be careful in the hope that no other victim or family ever has to experience such an event.

They also noted their hopes that the authorities will undertake the “most serious investigations”, should Langdell ever be considered for release from prison.

This shocking case follows shortly after paedophile James Smith was found guilty of using Plenty of Fish to befriend single mothers and then sexually assault their young children.

Smith, from Grangemouth, Stirlingshire was originally sentenced to three years in jail for his crimes, but has had a further 20 months added to his sentence for continuing to see one of his victims while on trial.

Learn more about the case here.