Labourer Convicted of Manslaughter in Mother-of-Two's Death
Mohammed Durnion, a 42-year-old labourer, has been found guilty of the manslaughter of Reanne Coulson, a 33-year-old mother-of-two, whose body was discovered in a shallow grave in woodland near Coventry. The verdict was delivered at Warwick Crown Court, where jurors concluded that Durnion did not commit murder but was responsible for her unlawful killing.
Details of the Attack and Cover-Up
Prosecutors described the incident as a "deliberate attack by a powerfully built man on a vulnerable and defenceless woman." According to court testimony, Durnion strangled Coulson at his flat on Paynes Lane in Coventry on May 21 last year, following an argument. He then feigned a mental health crisis when police arrived after a neighbor heard screaming and called emergency services.
Officers searched the property using a torch from a mobile phone but failed to locate Coulson's body, which was believed to be hidden under a mattress. After police left, Durnion moved the body, and it was found a month later in Binley Woods, partially set alight with petrol. A witness later reported seeing Durnion smirking and carrying a suitcase used to transport the corpse.
Police Investigation and Family's Anguish
Durnion was arrested on June 24 and initially refused to cooperate. However, after being shown footage of her family's appeal, he led police to the burial site three days later, pointing to undergrowth and stating, "she is under there" and that the body was "deep enough." Detective Inspector Nigel Box of West Midlands Police expressed that officers were "heartbroken" for Coulson's family, noting she was a mother, aunt, sister, and daughter.
The police force's professional standards department is reviewing the initial search of the flat, and they have expressed regret to Coulson's family for the failure to find her body during that visit. Coulson, who was 5ft 1in and under nine stone, was last seen on May 21 after attending a support group at a Catholic church, where she appeared well. Her family raised the alarm when she failed to make contact on her birthday on June 17.
Additional Conviction and Sentencing
Adam Moore, 39, a friend of Durnion, was also found guilty of assisting an offender by helping to hide the corpse in the woods. Both defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday, with the court emphasizing the gravity of the crime and its impact on the victim's loved ones.
