Burnley man accused of murdering Padiham mum of two Katie Kenyon changes his plea on third day of his trial

Andrew Burfield (51) stood accused of murdering the 33-year-old on April 22nd and burying her body in a grave, which he had dug the day before her death, in the Forest of Bowland in the Ribble Valley.

The court heard Burfield, of Todmorden Road, Burnley, had told police he killed her accidentally when throwing an axe at a tree. But prosecutor David McLachlan KC said a post-mortem showed she was struck at least 12 times.

Burfield was re-arraigned on the charge this morning and the jury in the case formally found him guilty.

His trial heard he killed Miss Kenyon on April 22nd and buried her body in a grave, which he had dug the day before her death, in the Forest of Bowland.

He then sent messages to himself and her children from her phone, the jury was told.

Opening the trial on Monday, David McLachlan KC, prosecuting, told the jury Burfield was arrested following Miss Kenyon's disappearance and interviewed four times, initially denying any knowledge of her whereabouts.

In his penultimate interview there was a "revelation" and his version of events changed, Mr McLachlan said.

Burfield told police he had taken Miss Kenyon, who he had been in a relationship with since 2019, to Gisburn Forest for a picnic and she had "bet" him he could not hit her can of Coke with his axe.

The court heard he told police: "I went for the tree at the side of her and it, it hit her in (her) head."

He claimed she had been hit with the back of the axe and she had no other injuries, but the jury heard a post mortem showed she was struck an estimated 12 times. Miss Kenyon's body was discovered by police on April 29th.

Burfield is due to be sentenced tomorrow at 10.30am.