Coventry woman 'manipulated new lover to beat ex to death'

An “Evil and scheming” Coventry woman manipulated her boyfriend to murder the father of her child, a court has heard.


Lanny's Lagoon Fishery where the body of Jason Bissell (inset) was found

At the opening of Joanne Griffiths’ trial at Birmingham Crown Court, prosecutor Gareth Evans told the jury the 41-year-old mum had ordered the killing of Jason Bissell to stop him having access to their six-month-old daughter.

Griffiths, of Bridgeacre Gardens, Binley, denies murder.

Mr Evans told the court that, earlier this month, Griffiths’ boyfriend Peter Andrew Hood, 45, of Vernon’s Lane, Nuneaton, admitted murdering Mr Bissell.

He said: “A year ago today, on October 17, a man called Jason Bissell was brutally murdered in a pre-planned, vicious and determined attack near a remote fishing lake in Warwickshire. He was

repeatedly struck about the head with a hammer. Duct tape was wrapped around his head and he was thrown into a fishing lake.

“The prosecution say two people were responsible for the killing of Jason Bissell – this defendant Joanne Griffiths and a man named Peter Hood.

“Peter Hood has already pleaded guilty to this murder. He will give evidence for the prosecution. He will tell you about this defendant’s involvement in the murder.”

The hearing was told Mr Bissell, aged 39, of Florence Road, Coombe Fields, was struck with a hammer ten times by Hood after being lured to Lanny’s Lagoon Fishery at Stretton-under-Fosse, near Brinklow, by Griffiths for a ‘meeting’.

He said: “This case revolves around Joanne Griffiths’ relationship with two men – Jason Bissell, the man who was killed and Peter Hood, the man who physically killed Jason Bissell.

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