The murder of Mary-Ann Leneghan: A teen targeted for revenge
Teenager Mary-Ann Leneghan was only 16 when she was kidnapped and brutally murdered.
This case is remembered as being particularly disturbing and harrowing due to the level of violence involved as well as the age of the victim. The crime was callous, cold-blooded and centered around a vicious revenge plot, making it particularly well known in British crime history.
Join us here at Crime+Investigation as we dive deeper into Mary-Ann Leneghan’s murder, including the lead up to her death and how the perpetrators were caught.
Who was Mary-Ann Leneghan?
Mary-Ann Leneghan was born 13th January 1989, and in 2005, she was 16 years old. Born to an English mum and an Irish dad, Mary-Ann was the oldest of two children. After her parents' separation, Mary-Ann and her little sister lived with their mother in Reading, Berkshire.
Mary-Ann originally attended Prospect College before leaving to pursue vocational education, opting to try and get a childcare qualification. When she was 15, she truanted from school on several occasions. She also went missing for four weeks and did not contact her mother, but it later emerged she was staying with friends at the time.
The lead up to Mary-Ann’s murder
Mary-Ann’s murder was a revenge plot set up by 20-year-old notorious drug dealer and criminal Adrian Thomas, also known as “Redz”. He was an acquaintance of Mary-Ann. In April 2005, Thomas was assaulted and robbed in his flat in Reading. Money, drugs and personal items were taken, while he himself also suffered from knife wounds.
Thomas believed that Mary-Ann and an 18-year-old female friend of hers were responsible for setting up the attack. He thought they had purposely left his front door open to let the assailants in. The girls were innocent, but his ruthless desire for vengeance led him to plan a devastating and brutal attack on Mary-Ann and her friend.
The murder of Mary-Ann
On 6th May 2005, Mary-Ann and her friend were sitting in another girl's car in the car park of the disused pub in Reading. While there, the girls were kidnapped by Thomas. He wasn’t alone. He was with a group of five other men. Those men were:
- Michael Johnson, age 19
- Llewellyn Adams, age 24
- Indrit Krasniqi, age 18
- Jamaile Morally, age 22
- Joshua Morally, age 23
After being forced into the boot of their car, the girls were taken to a guest house called the Abbey House Hotel. The men took the girls in without having to go past the night manager and reception desk by entering through the back.
While in the guesthouse, the girls were horrifically tortured and sexually abused for hours. They were drugged, beaten, gang raped, stabbed and scalded. The men then proceeded to drive the girls to Prospect Park. While there, Mary-Ann was stabbed over 40 times. An 8cm neck wound was the fatal blow to the teenager.
Mary-Ann’s friend was forced to her knees and shot in the head. The bullet did not pierce her skull, so miraculously, she survived, despite severe injuries. The friend has never been named and will have lifetime anonymity, as she is protected by the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992.
Mary-Ann’s friend was knocked unconscious by the gunshot. When she came too, Mary-Ann was still breathing, so her friend went for help. She found a member of the public, who called 999. Unfortunately, Mary-Ann died before the emergency services could get to her.
Catching the culprits
The police investigation didn’t last long, as only a few days later, Jamaile Morally turned himself in to Tooting Police Station in London. Thomas had fled to Birmingham, but was apprehended on 11th May. By the middle of May, all five men had been taken into custody.
The trial and sentencing
On 13th January 2006, the trial began at Reading Crown Court. During the trial, it was concluded that Michael Johnson was the one who killed Mary-Ann by causing the neck wound that took her life. He later confessed to murder, kidnap, and attempted murder. Jamaile Morally was the one who shot Mary-Ann’s friend.
The convictions were given on 17th March 2006. Michael Johnson, Jamaile Morally and his brother Joshua Morally were convicted of murder, kidnap, attempted murder, rape and assault. Johnson was also guilty of rape and assault. Krasniqi was guilty of murder, kidnap and attempted murder, but he was cleared of rape. Adams was cleared of assault and rape, but found guilty of murder, kidnap and attempted murder.
The six men were sentenced on 28th April. All were sentenced to life imprisonment, though there were minimum terms for each of them that ranged from 23 to 27 years.
Mary Ann’s friend was hospitalised until 1st June 2005. Mary Ann’s funeral was held on 22nd July of the same year.
Mary-Ann Leneghan’s memory lives on within her family and friends. She will be remembered for who she was in her young life, rather than how it was cruelly taken from her. A memorial garden in Southcote is dedicated to her.
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