Sad Story: Police refused to escort teenage murder victim minutes before ex-boyfriend stabbed her to death

boyfriend moments after she was refused a police escort.

Samantha Laney, 19, had asked for assistance so she could collect her belongings from the flat she used to share with her partner Thomas Dalton.

Her killer had already been spoken to by police for smashing up their home and he had previously threatened to 'slice her open' if she went to the property.

But when Samantha rang officers for a police escort, she was told there were not enough police officers available.

Samantha Laney (left) was stabbed to death by jealous ex-boyfriend Thomas Dalton (right) moments after she pleaded with police for an escort to collect her belongings from the flat she used to share with her killer

Shortly afterwards, Dalton, 19, armed himself with a kitchen knife and cycled over to the home of Samantha’s father in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs.

He laid in wait for her outside for 45 minutes and when she arrived back, he burst in and stabbed Samantha in the back. 

As she bled to death, Dalton then fought with Samantha’s father who wrestled the knife from him.

 

Tests showed the knife blade punctured her lung and cut across her aorta, causing her to bleed to death a short time later.

Yesterday, an independent inquiry was underway into the tragedy after Dalton was found guilty of murdering Samantha but found not guilty of the attempted murder of her father Steven Laney, 53. He was due to be sentenced later.

A mandatory referral has made to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) because there had been previous police contact with the victim. 

The IPCC asked Staffordshire Police to carry out a supervised investigation, which is ongoing.

Samantha with her father Steve, who wrestled the knife from Dalton as his daughter bled to death at his home

Stafford Crown Court was told the couple had been childhood sweethearts after they started dating when they were 15 but they split up last February after a series of rows and she moved in with Mr Laney.

Dalton was so upset he threatened to kill her during a telephone conversation the day after she had walked out and began bombarding her with abusive and threatening messages on Facebook.

During one angry phone call he began smashing a coffee table and Samantha called police saying she was concerned her ex was wrecking the whole flat, where they had a joint tenancy.

A policewoman went to the house but no further action was taken after finding no evidence of damage inside the flat.

Ten days later, Samantha telephoned Dalton to arrange a visit to the flat in Kidsgrove, to pick up her belongings - but he said he would kill Samantha saying: 'If you keep pestering me I’m going to hurt you.'

Samantha’s aunt Sylvia Proctor who overheard the phone call said: 'He was not a happy person. He was very angry. I could hear him shouting. I took the phone. He was swearing and ranting.

'I said it didn’t matter if he wasn’t at home, as the police were going to come and help her get her stuff out. That’s when he said he was going to kill Sam and kill Steve.

'I told him that was stupid, as he’d just made me a witness. I was being sarcastic, because I didn’t think he would actually do it. If I did I would have called the police myself.'

Dalton lay in wait outside Samantha's father's house (pictured) and stabbed her in the back when she entered the property

Dalton also sent a text message to a neighbour saying: 'Sam is coming over, so if there’s bang and murder, just ignore it. Lol.'

Philip Bennetts QC said: 'Samantha rang the police, asking for a police escort. She was told there were not enough police officers available.

'Samantha went to her aunt’s home. Dalton rang, ranting down the phone. He said if she or Steven went to their flat, he was going to slice them open.'

Dalton then updated his Facebook page, saying: 'Some things got to be done in life.'

Samantha returned to her father's house with Mr Laney and her best friend following a shopping trip - not realising Dalton was waiting to ambush her.

As she walked through the door, Dalton burst in and plunged the knife into her back. Mr Laney who is deaf testified in sign language saying: 'I turned round and saw Sam, who was leaning over with an expression of great pain on her face.

A forensic tent at the scene of the stabbing. Dalton had previously threatened to kill Samantha during a telephone conversation the day after she had walked out on him

'Then I saw Dalton. He had a knife in his hand. I made the decision to get him out of the house. He tried to knife me.

'He had the knife at the front of my abdomen, pointing it towards me. I felt that had I not get hold of his arm he would have undoubtedly stabbed me too.'

Dalton was arrested whilst walking up the A34. He confessed his guilt to prison staff whilst on remand saying: 'I meant to kill them all and kill myself.

'I just wished I had killed him as well. Even if I got 25 years, I would get the father and kill him.'

Dalton denied murder and attempted murder claiming he was not in control of his actions. He told the jury: 'I asked when she was coming back. She said she wasn’t coming back.

'I asked her how could she do this to me. I was devastated.

'It was while I was talking to her on the phone. That’s when I picked up the knife. I just wanted to hurt her, because she’d hurt me.

'I wanted to hurt her, just to make her feel how I felt. As soon as I stabbed her I looked at the knife and it was like I’d just woken up. I thought, ‘What have I done?’.'

After the verdict Det Insp Glyn Pattinson, who led the inquiry, said: 'Our investigation proved this was a premeditated crime. Dalton travelled to Clayton with the intention of causing serious injury to his former partner.

'What followed was the fatal stabbing of Samantha in front of people who were powerless to stop him. Dalton chose to make "no comment" in relation to the questions put to him and he has shown no remorse for the crime he committed.'

In a statement, Samantha’s family said: 'No prison sentence will ever be enough to compensate the deep loss we all feel.

'Samantha was a wonderful daughter and sister with her whole life ahead of her. She was a joy to be around and always had time for her family and friends.

'Samantha was a ray of sunshine in our lives. Thomas Dalton has extinguished that light and taken away our precious Samantha. She will always be missed.'

Daily Mail