Father attacks girl's killer in courtroom

THE FATHER of a teenage girl who was strangled after being lured to a bogus job interview attacked her murderer when he was jailed for life at Lewes Crown Court yesterday.

Derek Rogers, of Catford, south-east London, threatened to kill Scott Singleton, who had just been convicted of murdering his 17-year-old daughter, Lynne.

As three prison officers restrained him, Mr Rogers, 55, shouted: 'I am going to kill you, I will get him one way or another. Life - is that all he gets after what he has done to me and my daughter?'

After the jury returned its unanimous verdict, Mr Justice Alliott told Singleton, 36, he was passing the sentence prescribed by law. 'I do so remaining, as the jury must, in ignorance of what actually happened after you had taken that girl into your custody. That is a matter that gives me grave concern as to your dangerousness.'

Michael Mansfield QC, for Singleton, said his client would appeal against the verdict. Singleton of Broadfield, Crawley, West Sussex has always protested his innocence.

After the trial Det Supt Michael Bennison, who led the murder inquiry, said Singleton had stalked Lynne and described the verdict as 'true and just'. He added: 'Singleton was a cruel and calculating killer who would have struck again because of the way he lured this girl to her death.'

Lynne Rogers was strangled after she arranged to meet Singleton for a job interview at Charing Cross station, London, on 4 September last year. Five days later her body was discovered hidden in brambles off a country lane in Rotherfield, east Sussex.

She had not been sexually assaulted but her body was bruised and she had been bitten on the chin. Bernard Sims, a forensic dentist, said the toothmarks bore a 'significant' correlation with Singleton's upper teeth.

After being made redundant from her job with a firm of investment brokers in July, Lynne sent her curriculum vitae, which included her address and telephone number, to more than 100 job agencies.

One of her CVs had been sent to Africa Hinterland, a travel company at the Greenwich business centre. Singleton, who had a car paint-spraying company at the centre, stole her CV from the communal postroom.

He then rang Lynne's house four times claiming to be an executive with a travel company and offered her a job stewarding executive flights with a salary of pounds 14,000.

Her sister, Suzanne, 20, spoke to Singleton twice and heard aircraft noises in the background. At one point he said: 'Flight 101 prepare to take off.'

Two weeks ago police seized a tape with aircraft noises and references to Flight 101 from Singleton's girlfriend's home in Catford, south-east London.

Her father and her boyfriend, Spencer Clarke, both warned Lynne to check Singleton's credentials. 'She listened but I think the money clouded her rational thinking,' Mr Clarke said.

Lynne waited for more than an hour at Charing Cross station for Singleton. She was last seen by a taxi driver, who was struck by her smart appearance, getting into a blue Vauxhall Carlton. Singleton owns such a car.

His car was also seen by Richard Ellis, a farmer, in Rotherfield within a quarter of a mile of where Miss Roger's body was discovered. Mr Ellis had written down the number plate because it was parked 'oddly'. Singleton told the police he had never been to Rotherfield.

Black carpet fibres found on Miss Singleton's clothing matched fibres found at Singleton's home and on the passenger seat of his car. The police still do not know where or when Lynne died.

(Photograph omitted)