Guilty: 'Oddball' who raped and murdered barmaid India Chipchase after luring her into taxi outside nightclub

Tom Powell2 August 2016
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A delusional "oddball" has been found guilty of raping and murdering a 20-year-old barmaid after he lured her into a taxi outside a Northampton nightclub.

Edward Tenniswood, 52, left drunken and defenceless India Chipchase with more than 30 injuries after strangling and having sex with her at his flat.

CCTV footage showed him approaching Ms Chipchase, who was alone using her phone, and saying “Don’t worry, I’ll get you home safe” before leading her to a taxi.

The former bookkeeper claimed at Birmingham Crown Court that they had consensual sex in the early hours of January 30.

Murdered: India Chipchase

He said she put his hands round her neck, blaming her death on his “over-eagerness” to please her.

Guilty: Edward Tenniswood
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However, the jury of six men and six women took just one hour and 45 minutes to convict him of rape and murder following a two-week trial.

Tenniswood’s own defence barrister even referred to him as an “oddball”, after a trial in which he spoke of dating a famous model and collecting clippings of girl bands.

He said: “I haven’t had an immensely successful life, but I’m lucky enough to have had some very attractive girlfriends, one of whom was a very successful fashion model actually.

“I have had some extremely attractive ex girlfriends, is that a crime?”

Ms Chipchase, the daughter of a doctor, has been separated from her friends and was trying to get home when she met Tenniswood.

Judge Mr Justice Saunders told him he would be jailed later today and will face a mandatory life sentence.

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