Women get life for burning love rival to death

Two women were jailed for life today for their part in the murder of a teenage girl who was doused in petrol and set alight after becoming embroiled in a row over a boyfriend.

Kerry Bauer, 21, of Braintree, was jailed for a minimum of 17 years after being found guilty of the murder of Debra Carne, 17, whose burnt body was discovered in an isolated lay-by near her home in Sible Hedingham, Essex, in July 2002.

Emma Last, 19, also of Braintree, earlier pleaded guilty to murder.

Steven Wood, 23, of Halstead, Essex, was last week jailed for eight years following the six-week trial at Chelmsford Crown Court. He was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter. Nicole Hollinshead, 19, of Halstead, was jailed for five years after being found guilty of conspiracy to inflict grievous bodily harm.

Sentencing the four, Mr Justice Nelson described the death of Miss Carne as horrific and said the motive for the killing was on the face of it so trivial it defied explanation. The judge said: "For teenagers and people in their twenties to have lovers' quarrels is entirely common but for such quarrels to result in murder is thankfully extremely uncommon."

The trial had heard how Wood dumped Hollinshead for Miss Carne a few days before the murder.

He spent the night with her, but returned to Hollinshead two days later at the hostel where she lived in Braintree. It was there that the four friends started planning ways to get back at Miss Carne.

After the case, Debra's father Roger Carne said the murder of his daughter has had a devastating effect on the family. He said: "Debra was taken in the most vicious way and it is impossible to come to terms with it.

"We are pleased with the verdict. It was the best we could have hoped for. We will now try to rebuild our lives."