Murder trial told of uncle's infatuation with teenage girl

The missing Essex schoolgirl Danielle Jones was murdered by her infatuated uncle when she rejected his advances, a court was told yesterday.

The "naive, shy'' 15-year-old, who disappeared on her way to school in June last year, was being groomed by Stuart Campbell, 44, to fulfil his perverse fantasies, the prosecution alleged.

Because Mr Campbell was a member of her own family, Danielle had been unable to escape his predatory advances and he became increasingly obsessed with her, the jury at Chelmsford Crown Court was told.

Initially flattered by the attention, Danielle later grew tired of his advances. On 18 June last year the girl was seen talking to a man in a blue Transit-style van similar to Mr Campbell's. It was one of the last times she was seen.

"It is no coincidence this defendant owned such a van and you can be sure he abducted her that morning and took her to his home address where he probably intended to take pictures of her," said Orlando Pownall, QC, for the prosecution. "Although the manner in which she met her death is unknown and the reason why he killed her is uncertain, it is submitted you can be sure he and he alone is responsible. There is a wealth of direct and circumstantial evidence that demonstrates guilt."

The court was told that Mr Campbell had a long history of enticing schoolgirls to his home where he took pictures of them in various states of undress.

Danielle's body has never been found but Mr Pownall said her blood was discovered on a pair of stockings in Mr Campbell's home, alongside traces of Mr Campbell's DNA. The stockings were found in a bag that also contained handcuffs, lip gloss, contraceptives, lingerie and photographic equipment.

Mr Campbell sat in the dock making notes as the prosecution listed case after case – dating back 15 years – of teenage girls he had asked, successfully or unsuccessfully to pose for him.

Over the years, his technique became more sophisticated. He devised business cards bearing a company name, Cinderella's, and offered to photograph modelling portfolios for girls he met at schools or in shopping centres. He also took pictures of schoolgirls passing his home.

Mr Campbell, who has two children, barely looked up as Mr Pownall told the jury that the accused spent hours on websites indulging his fixation with "Lolitas", schoolgirls and cheerleaders. Mr Pownall said the builder, who married Danielle's father's sister Debbie, had taken little interest in her until she turned 14. But with his wife, whom he had met at 15, heavily pregnant, he turned his attentions to the "immature and timid" Danielle. "As in the case of others before her, Danielle might have thought there was nothing wrong with the attention the defendant was paying towards her and she might have had a teenage crush on him which he did everything to promote and encourage," Mr Pownall said.

He added: "It is clear that he would openly seek to charm and beguile young girls in a manner that points irresistibly to him behaving in the same way towards Danielle. There is a difference. Danielle was a member of a family. She couldn't get away. She was available. It is suggested by the Crown that he was grooming her."

Mr Campbell, the jury was told, developed an irresistible sexual attraction for the girl. He would regularly pick her up from school, send her an inordinate number of text messages and keep a diary with details and notes of any contact between them.

While the teenager was on a family holiday he let himself into their home in Hayle, East Tilbury, Essex, and stole photographs of her as well as leaving notes in her bedroom. One read: "Hi Princess, in case U missed my last note I thought I'd pop in another to let U know I do miss your smile. XX"

"Such was the extent of the defendant's compulsion to be with Danielle he appears to have been oblivious or unconcerned by the fact it was obvious to others his affection went way and above what was normal," Mr Pownall explained.

Initially, Danielle responded to his advances with affectionate and sometimes risqué text messages. Six weeks before her disappearance, he made 27 calls to her mobile phone in one day, while she responded 17 times.

Mr Campbell denies abducting Danielle and murdering her. The case is expected to last two months.