'Love rat' murdered his married lover after she nagged him to move in with her

By Daily Mail Reporter
Updated: 10:39 EST, 11 June 2010

Victim: Adultress Paula Poolton was murdered by her lover Roger Kearney when she put pressure on him to move in with her

Victim: Adultress Paula Poolton was murdered by her lover Roger Kearney when she put pressure on him to move in with her

A self-confessed 'love rat' has been found guilty of murdering his married lover after she put pressure on him to move in with her.

Royal Mail worker Roger Kearney, 57, stabbed Paula Poolton seven times and then dumped her in the boot of her Peugeot car on October 17 2008. Her body was not found until 11 days later.

The pair were having an affair during the summer of 2008 but friends of Mrs Poolton, 40, said Kearney was not as keen on the relationship despite the fact she was considering leaving her husband Richard.

Kearney, of Sarisbury Green, near Southampton, Hampshire, had denied murdering his lover. He shook his head in disbelief as the jury at Winchester Crown Court delivered the verdict.

His defence told the jury of six men and six women that he was 'wrongly accused' but admitted he was a 'love rat' after cheating on his long-term partner with Mrs Poolton.

Earlier in the six-week trial, the prosecution had admitted there was no forensic evidence or witnesses pointing to Kearney.

But Nicholas Haggan QC, prosecuting, told the jury that Kearney lied about his whereabouts during a crucial hour after Mrs Poolton's car was last seen on CCTV.

He said he had left for a night shift at 10pm for the 15-minute drive to work when CCTV footage showed he left home at 9.31pm.

He also lied about the route saying he drove away from the spot near Swanwick railway station in Hampshire where Mrs Poolton's car was found towards his work.

But footage showed Kearney's Mitsubishi Shogun driving towards the railway station.

Kearney also washed his clothes that night, including a fluorescent jacket.

On the day she disappeared, Mrs Poolton told her friend Carol Bertie she had been looking for a house to buy and to move in with Kearney but the friend feared Kearney was not as keen.

The judge, Mr Justice Silber, told Kearney he would be imprisoned for life.

He was remanded in custody until a hearing next week at the Old Bailey where a judge will set the minimum tariff he will have to serve in jail.

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