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Mark Rainey jailed for life for murder.

07/06/2011

Mark Rainey appeared before Newcastle Crown Court on 6 June 2011 and was sentenced to life imprisonment for the killing of Geoffrey Harrison.

Geoffrey Harrison was found dead at 152 Colston Street, the home address of Mark Rainey and Danielle Magnaron, on the morning of 19 October 2010.  He died following a sustained and brutal attack.

 

Rainey and Magnaron were arrested shortly after but both denied the killing.

 

Senior Crown Prosecutor Gary Buckley said "This was a very violent attack and from an early stage the evidence clearly pointed to Rainey's involvement in it".  The CPS therefore advised that Rainey be charged with the murder of Geoffrey Harrison.

 

In January Rainey appeared before Newcastle Crown Court and pleaded guilty to murder, but then rapidly changed his mind and applied to vacate his plea. The court allowed him to do this and a month later he pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, not something the prosecution accepted.

 

In May he appeared before the Crown Court once more and on this occasion accepted that he was guilty of Geoffrey Harrison's murder and pleaded guilty to the charge.  Danielle Magnaron pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice, admitting that after the murder she tried to help Rainey hide the evidence of the attack.

 

Rainey and Magneron re-appeared before Newcastle Crown Court on 6 June and were sentenced for their crimes.  Rainey was sentenced to life imprisonment and Magneron to 15 months imprisonment.

 

Gary Buckley said "This was a vicious attack on an unarmed man; I can only hope that Rainey's eventual acceptance of his guilt is of some comfort to Mr Harrison's family and friends".