‘Nice bum’ killer gets 22 years
A teenager who shot an electrician dead because he said his female friend had a ‘nice bum’ has been jailed for 22 years.
Bradley Blundell, 18, blasted John Pordage, 34, in the chest at a BP garage on Baddow Road, Chelmsford, Essex, and was then smuggled to the continent in the boot of a car.
Blundell, together 18-year-old Ella Colgate and two others who cannot be named and had picked up a stolen motorcycle and stopped at the garage in a blue Fiesta to get petrol.
While filing up a can, Colegate was approached by Mr Pordage and his friend Jamal Samuels.
Tracy Ayling, QC, prosecuting, said one of the men shouted ‘nice bum’, as they went to buy cigarettes and pop at the garage’s kiosk.
Blundell, who was described by the other men as looking like ‘the Milky Bar Kid’, pulled out a .32 calibre revolver and shot Mr Pordage in the chest.
‘The reason for the shooting appears to be nothing more than either Mr Pordage or a friend he was with, Jamal Samuels, remarking that Ella Colegate the driver of the car Mr Blundell was in, had a nice bum,’ said Ms Ayling.
Blundell, who was 17 at the time, was convicted of murder and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice after a three-week trial.
Colgate, a care worker, denied conspiracy to pervert the course of justice by contacting a prosecution witness but was also convicted.
Members of public shouted:’ Justice’ as the verdicts were returned.
The court was told Mr Pordage had bumped into Jamal Samuels on a night out before they went to the garage.
During the dispute on the forecourt they also told Mr Blundell he looked like the ‘Milky Bar Kid’ – a cowboy character with glasses who was used to advertise chocolate bars.
‘One of the men made some reference to Mr Blundell looking like the Milky Bar Kid and it may well be that it is that remark which was the catalyst for what was to follow,’ said Ms Ayling.
‘Mr Blundell’s anger spilled over.’
Colegate drove away from the garage but Blundell jumped out of the car with his friend and shot Mr Pordage twice.
Mr Samuels described the sound of the gun going off as two ‘pops.’
Mr Pordage, an electrician from Galleywood, was rushed to hospital after the 2am shooting but died shortly afterwards.
A teenage girl, who cannot be named, who was in the blue Ford Fiesta at the time of the shooting, was interviewed by police on August 5.
She explained there was ‘banter’ from the men in Mr Pordage’s white van on the forecourt and that they were trying to ‘chat her and Ella up’.
The girl said Blundell ‘did not like this’.
She said one of the two men, either Mr Pordage or Mr Samuels, tapped on the window of the Fiesta and said: ‘You’re a bit quiet boys, do you want a Milky Bar?
Blundell then made his way to Maldon where he burnt his clothes and was then smuggled out of the country in the boot of a car without a passport.
He travelled to France, Germany and Holland before handing himself in to police in Amsterdam on 31 March this year.
Giving evidence Blundell admitted hitting Mr Pordage with a cosh but claimed his friend, who cannot be named, fired the fatal shot.
He said he did not see the gun and only heard the shots but admitted fleeing the country because he was ‘terrified’.
Colgate had initially denied lying in her police interview to help Blundell.
But the teenager admitted she lied because she was ‘panicking’ and ‘scared’ after witnessing the incident.
She said the first time she saw the gun was when he burnt his clothes after the shooting.
Colgate denied she was ever in a relationship with Blundell but said they had been good friends since they were at school.
She is of previous good character but was once cautioned for driving her father’s car without his consent.
Blundell, of Cromwell Close, Boreham, Essex, was jailed for 22 years for murder at Chelmsford Crown Court and another six years to be served concurrently for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Colgate, of Aldridge Close, Chelmsford, denied conspiracy to pervert the course of justice but was convicted.
She was jailed for 12-months.
