Elliot Turner to appeal Emily Longley murder sentence (From Bournemouth Echo)

Elliot Turner to appeal Emily Longley murder sentence

THE self-professed playboy found guilty of strangling girlfriend Emily Longley has lodged an appeal to overturn his conviction and sentence.

Elliot Turner to appeal Emily Longley murder sentence

Elliot Turner, now 21, was handed a minimum life sentence of 16 years in May after he was convicted of killing the 17-year-old aspiring model in his bed at the family home in Queenswood Avenue, Queens Park, on May 7 last year.

The attack was the culmination of a month of anger and upset over his suspicions that she was “twisting his heart” by seeing other men.

A spokesman for the Court of Appeal said yesterday: “We have received an application for leave to appeal against conviction and sentence. No date for a hearing has yet been set.”

Turner admitted during his four week trial at Winchester Crown Court that he’d grabbed Emily around the throat during an argument but claimed it was self defence and she was alive afterwards.

The prosecution said Turner used a pillow to smother Emily and then strangled her after she went back to his house to talk things over following a turbulent week.

Covert police recordings were played throughout the trial of Turner talking to his parents about Emily’s death.

The jury also heard that Turner had told friends: “I will kill her. I will go to prison and I will still be a millionaire.”

It was later revealed that he’d written to a friend from prison bragging about his flash lifestyle of girls and booze.

But sentencing Turner, judge Mrs Justice Dobbs told him: “You can put away thoughts of champagne, Bentleys and girls and concentrate on the reason you are serving a life sentence.”

British-born Emily emigrated to New Zealand with her parents, Mark and Caroline, and sister Hannah when she was nine. She returned to the UK to live with her grandparents in Southbourne and study for a business diploma course at Brockenhurst College.

Elliot’s parents Leigh and Anita Turner were convicted of perverting the course of justice by destroying a confession note and removing a jacket from the scene.

They are due to be sentenced at Winchester Crown Court on Friday, July 6 and have been warned they face jail.

See all our coverage of the Emily Longley trial