Life for bus driver who murdered teenager

Bus driver Lee Holbrook strangled an 18-year-old Devon student on his bus after she refused him sex, a court heard today.

Alicia Eborne was the only passenger on the bus being driven by 39-year-old Holbrook when he propositioned her - having driven off his normal route.

Holbrook, of Beacon Park Road, then dumped her body before driving back to his bus station in Plymouth.

Prosecutor Martin Meeke QC told Plymouth Crown Court today that when he finished work, Holbrook used a Land Rover to pick up Alicia's body and drive it miles to woods where he covered it with leaves.

Holbrook today pleaded guilty to murdering Alicia, of Corntown, Devon, on November 7 last year. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Mr Meeke said Holbrook later told police: "I have murdered her. It was nothing premeditated. It was just an opportunity. She was on my bus."

Mr Meeke told the court Holbrook was working as a driver for First National based at Bretonside in Plymouth.

On the day of the murder he set off on route 58 from the depot and was back at the base at around 8.13am.

Three minutes later he set out on route 59 - and it was at around 8.49am that Alicia boarded the bus at the village of Cornwood en route to Plymouth where she was a student at the local College of Further Education.