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A 'highly-dangerous' warehouse worker who stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death in a shopping centre car park has been jailed for at least 26 years after being found guilty of murder.

Joshua Stimpson, 26, killed Molly McLaren in a frenzied attack as she sat in her car outside the Dockside Shopping Centre in Kent on June 29 last year.

He was twice warned by police to stay away from her after Molly reported his behaviour shortly before her death, it has emerged.

Molly, 23, suffered 75 knife blows after Stimpson pulled open her car door, moments after she messaged a pal saying she was "looking over my shoulder all the time".

Stimpson was told he may never be released, and was branded a "highly-dangerous young man" by a judge.

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Her family wept as her killer was unanimously convicted by a jury after less than four hours of deliberation.

In a statement her family said there needs to be more awareness of online stalking, and braised have-a-go hero Ben Moreton, who tried to stop Stimpson.

They said: "The last six months have been horrid beyond belief.

"We couldn't have got through it without the love and support of family and friends.

"The number of Molly's friends has staggered us, the like of which we have never known.

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"Those that have visited and shared in our pain have been a great help.

"We would like to thank Kent Police for their diligence collecting and collating the evidence.

"We would also like to thank the prosecution team for expediting the due process of the law.

"The full extent of the digital stalking of Molly by Joshua Stimpson may never be known.

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"We would like to thank Benjamin Moreton for his brave efforts at the carpark when he tried to intervene, and hope one day to thank him personally.

"The contrast in morality between these two people could not be more profound.

"However, in light of this case, we feel that there needs to be more awareness over the dangers of stalking and the need for people to report any concerns over stalking to the police."

Molly's family have set up a charity in her name to help people with eating disorders.

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They added: "The verdict has brought us a small measure of comfort, but it seems that nothing will take away the pain or allow us to come to terms with our Molly being taken from us.

"We are serving a lifetime of pain, anguish and loss.

"This has affected so many people's lives and our hearts go out to each and every one of you.

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"Our focus now turns to making sure Molly will live on through The Molly McLaren Foundation, helping people with eating disorders.

"Thank you all for your ongoing support with this. A light has gone out in all of our hearts but shines bright as a star forever glowing. We love you Molly."

Stimpson, who was arrested at the murder scene covered in Molly's blood, showed no emotion as the verdict was delivered.

He was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 26 years.

Judge Adele Williams, sentencing, told Stimpson he may never be released and said: "This was a cruel, calculated and cowardly act. This was an act of wickedness.

"You are a highly-dangerous young man and you will pose a very considerable risk to women for a very considerable period in the future."

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A trial at Maidstone Crown Court heard how Molly grew scared of Stimpson as their relationship broke down, saying she was "walking on eggshells" and her ex-boyfriend had "turned nasty".

He started posting messages on Facebook claiming she had been taking drugs five days after they had broken up.

Molly reported the posts to Facebook but nothing happened, so she went with her mother Joanna to North Kent Police Station.

A police officer called Stimpson in their presence, put him on speakerphone and warned him to stop or face prosecution.

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When the officer said: "We wouldn't want Molly to come to the police station again about you, would we?", Stimpson replied: "Wouldn't we?"

Stimpson was spoken to by police for a second time on June 27 last year, just two days before her death.

Alexandra Dale, who dated him in 2013, had also reported his behaviour towards her to police.

Kent Police reported itself to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, now known as the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), after Ms McLaren's death.

His defence team argued he was suffering from an emotionally unstable personality disorder with a hypersensitivity to rejection, which resulted in a loss of self-control after the break-up.

But a psychiatrist for the prosecution said Stimpson was 'focused and in control' as he carried out his premeditated plan.

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On the morning she was killed, student Molly had been working out at her gym when Stimpson turned up.

And the night before he had turned up at a bar where she was with friends, jurors heard.

After seeing Stimpson at the gym shortly before her death, Molly messaged her mum saying: "Mum he's turned up at the gym and come next to me", before phoning her.

Her mother told her to go straight home.

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In a flurry of messages in the minutes before the stabbing, Molly's friend, Amy Lee, had warned the 23-year-old not to communicate with her ex.

She told her Stimpson was a "freak" and to "stay away from him", after he turned up at the gym where Molly was working out, it was said.

The previous evening, the defendant had also visited a nearby bar where his former partner was with friends.

Molly had told Ms Lee in the chat that she felt like she was looking over her shoulder "all the time".

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The court heard Stimpson and Molly met through dating app Tinder and dated for seven months, before Molly ended their relationship on June 17.

On the day of the killing, Molly sent Ms Lee an image of Stimpson exercising next to her.

Molly left Pure Gym at the retail outlet at 11.01am, still on her phone, before being attacked as she sat in her parked Citroen C2.

Prosecutor Philip Bennetts QC told jurors Stimpson had been following his ex-girlfriend's 'movements' as he 'carefully considered when to execute her'.

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Having tailed her around the car park in his father's Peugeot, he parked in an adjacent aisle and went to Molly's car.

He then pulled open her driver's door and attacked her.

When police arrived Stimpson simply said "you want me" and was arrested on suspicion of murder by an officer.

Messages shown to the jury showed revealed Molly had told friends: "I am actually scared of what he might do, I’m scared he might hurt me."

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When asked her if she meant physically, the court heard she responded: "Yeah."

In the first three days of the trial the jury saw images of weapons found in Stimpson's car as well as police bodycam footage of the defendant standing next to Molly's car moments after he killed her.

Stimpson denied murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Dr Olaf Biedrzycki told the court Molly would have lost consciousness within seconds and nothing could have been done to save her.

The slicing motion used to inflict it left a gaping wound which "severed everything", he explained, including jugular veins at the sides of her neck and major arteries.

"Once this had been inflicted there was no medical intervention that would have made a difference," he added.

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"It not only severed the neck, there was sharp force damage to the front part of the bone in the neck and severe force has been used to cause this injury."

Cause of death was given as sharp force wounds to the neck.

Maidstone Crown Court heard after the break up Stimpson sent Ms McLaren "nasty" messages and also wrote insulting Facebook posts, making false claims Molly was dabbling with cocaine.

Mr Bennetts said Ms McLaren reported the derogatory Facebook comments to the police on June 22, when PC Philpott dialled Stimpson on loudspeaker and warned him not to continue the abuse.

Mr Bennetts also suggested to jurors that Stimpson’s subsequent actions may be considered to be "stalker-like".

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He bought the kitchen knife used in the killing from Asda, and the same day bought a pickaxe from Homebase.

Senior investigating officer Detective Sergeant Ali Worton said: "Molly was a popular and ambitious young woman with her whole life ahead of her but this was stolen by Stimpson in the most brutal way imaginable.

"He has proven to be an extremely dangerous individual and needs to spend a lengthy period of time in prison where he can cause no further harm to innocent people.

"It was clear to the jury and us that Molly’s death was pre-planned and that Stimpson is a cold and calculated killer rather than somebody who does not have the mental capacity to control himself.

"By denying murder and failing to accept responsibility for his actions, he forced Molly’s family and friends to suffer even further distress through the tough ordeal of a crown court trial.

"I would like to pay tribute to Molly’s family for the strength and dignity they have shown throughout and I hope this result is of some comfort.

"I would also like to thank the police officers and ambulance staff who attended the scene of Molly’s death and fought valiantly to save her. They face difficult situations on a daily basis but this was one that will certainly live long in the memory and I am keen that their efforts are recognised.

"Finally I would like to express thanks and recognise the courage of the members of public who tried desperately to stop the attack on Molly."