A man who brutally murdered his 23-week pregnant girlfriend has been sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 27 years. Liam Taylor, aged 37, pleaded guilty to the crime at the Old Bailey on Thursday, August 24.
On December 15 of the previous year, Taylor, under the influence of cocaine, cannabis, and alcohol, stabbed 28-year-old Ailish Walsh more than 40 times and struck her on the head with a dumbbell at their residence in Hackney, east London. Ms. Walsh, who was carrying a baby girl, was found covered in blood and unconscious in her bedroom by her own father.
Following the gruesome attack, Taylor was apprehended at his home the next morning. During his arrest, he remarked to the police, “It’s crazy how one moment of madness can change your whole life.” At his trial, Taylor confessed to the murder of Ms. Walsh, which Judge Nigel Lickley KC characterized as a “ferocious, brutal, and savage” assault. The court learned that the couple had a tumultuous relationship, and Taylor was upset about Ms. Walsh’s pregnancy as he desired a son, having two daughters already.
Addressing Taylor, who watched from Belmarsh prison, Judge Lickley described the crime as an “extreme example of domestic abuse,” stating, “You betrayed her trust by murdering her in her own home.” He also noted that the attack had sadistic and sexual elements, as Taylor specifically targeted certain parts of the victim’s body. In court, friends and family cheered and applauded as Taylor, who had his head in his hands, received his sentence.
Taylor had previous convictions for assaulting female relatives and had served a 12-month jail sentence for attacking his mother with a metal pole. He was also cautioned for headbutting his sister when she was 16.
