St Leonards man jailed for life for 'shocking and heart-breaking' murder of women

Mark Brown, 41, of Squirrel Close, St Leonards, was convicted at Hove Crown Court on December 1, 2022 of killing Alex Morgan, 34, and Leah Ware, 32. He was sentenced to life imprisonment today (Friday, January 13) with a minimum of 49 years, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

Alex’s remains were discovered by police at a building site where Brown worked, but no trace has ever been found of Leah’s body.

The CPS said Brown met both women through the internet and was in a relationship with Leah before her disappearance. Brown owned a remote property where both women were last seen alive, with CCTV footage and mobile data placing them at and around the location.

After Brown was arrested on suspicion of the murder of Alex in November 2021, police searched the building site where he worked and found her remains alongside some of her personal belongings, the CPS added.

Further searches of his work van led Kent Police to find prescription medicine belonging to Leah, but after an extensive investigation by Sussex Police, there was no evidence to suggest she was alive.

Brown attempted to conceal Leah’s murder by continuing to collect her medication and withdraw cash from her accounts, the CPS said.

Libby Clark, from the CPS, said: “This is a shocking and heart-breaking case of the murder of two women - Alex Morgan and Leah Ware. Brown showed utter cruelty and contempt for his victims, and his actions have left two families devastated by their loss.

“By never accepting responsibility, Brown made the families go through the ordeal of a trial, where the work of our prosecution team unpicked Brown’s deceit, including covering up Leah’s death, resulting in his conviction.

“We know nothing can make up for the loss so keenly felt by both families, but hope today’s sentence brings some comfort, as our thoughts remain with them.”

The CPS said Brown pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Alex, but continued to deny any involvement in Leah’s disappearance, alternating between claims she had passed away or that she was an inpatient at various psychiatric hospitals.

However, the overwhelming evidence in the case saw a jury at Hove Crown Court convict him of both murders, the CPS added.

Kate Brown, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS South East, added: “Violence against women and girls is a blight on our society, and one the CPS is determined to eradicate. All women have the right to be safe and to live their lives without fear of violence.

“Our commitment to bringing perpetrators to justice is unwavering, as we continue to work alongside our criminal justice partners to tackle these horrific crimes.”

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Kimber, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: “Brown is a dangerous individual who poses a significant threat to women. He preyed on the vulnerabilities of Leah and Alex and worked to build their trust, only to then exploit it for his own personal gain.

“It was important for his sentence to truly reflect the abhorrent nature of his crimes and ensure he’s not in a position to harm any other women for the rest of his life.”

Detective Superintendent Andy Wolstenholme, of the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, added: “We hope the conviction and sentence of Mark Brown will bring some sense of justice to the families of both Alex and Leah, and allow them to come to terms with the tragic loss of their loved ones.

“Even though the court case has concluded, we are still committed to following-up all viable lines of enquiry that may help us locate Leah’s body and give her family some of the answers they so desperately want and deserve.”