Chilling pictures show the moment a killer bought bleach in an attempt to get away with murdering his vulnerable partner. Mathew Pickering beat and strangled Georgina Dowey to death at his home before putting a black plastic bag over her face and then going about his day.
Former hospital operating theatre worker Pickering admitted the manslaughter of Miss Dowey but denied murder, claiming he had "snapped" and "lost control" during a late night altercation. But he was found guilty of murder following a two week trial at Swansea Crown Court.
Pickering and Miss Dowey had dated while pupils at Cwrt Sart school in Neath but then lost contact until reconnecting via Facebook in the summer of 2019. There followed a "turbulent" on-off relationship for a number of years.
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By early 2023 Miss Dowey - who had a long history of alcohol abuse and suffering domestic violence - was living in a women's refuge in Barry after suffering a serious assault, and in March she went to live with Pickering. For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter
In the early hours of May 6 Pickering beat and strangled Miss Dowey to death and left the 46-year-old's body in the downstairs toilet of his Beaconsfield Street house. Miss Dowey suffered more then 30 injuries to her head, face and body,
That afternoon Pickering - who worked for a number of years at Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen and at Sancta Maria Hospital in Swansea - then sent a text to Miss Dowey's phone saying "Did you get to Merthyr OK? x" to make it look like his partner had left the house. He then disposed of a small white bag containing a cannabis grinder in a dog waste bin near his house and bought bleach from Cadoxton Stores at the end of street where he lived. The defendant spent the night in the house just yards away from Miss Dowey's body. You can read our coverage of the trial here
The following morning Pickering walked to his parent's house in the Melin area of Neath, and he was caught on camera placing items in bins in the Milland Road industrial estate en route. However by the time detectives subsequently traced his route and identified the relevant CCTV evidence the bins had been emptied several times and the items put in the bins never been found.
Where to get help if you are a victim of abuse
There is help and support for victims of abuse.
Support is available in Welsh and English and a lot of the time is there 24 hours a day.
In an emergency, call 999 but there are a number of support agencies there to help:
Live Fear Free helpline - 24 hour support
Confidential support and information for anyone experiencing sexual violence, domestic abuse or violence against women in Wales, and for family, friends, colleagues and others calling on their behalf. Phone support available in Welsh, English and any other languages.
Freephone T: 0808 8010800
Type Talk: 1800108088010800
E: info@livefearfreehelpline.wales
Text support 24/7: 078600 77 333
Live chat 24hrs: www.livefearfree.gov.wales
Bawso 24hr helpline
Providing specialist services for BME communities.
T: 0800 731 8147 W: bawso.org.uk
Suzy Lamplugh Trust National Stalking Helpline
Advice and help if you are a victim of stalking.
Freephone T: 0808 802 0300
Refuge
The charity runs a 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline
Freephone T: 0808 2000 247
NSPCC FGM helpline
Call the FGM helpline if you're worried a child is at risk of, or has had, FGM.
T: 0800 028 3550 E: fgmhelp@nspcc.org.uk
Forced Marriage Unit helpline
Advice and support to victims of forced marriage.
T: 020 7008 0151
Modern slavery helpline
To report a suspicion, get help or seek advice or information.
T: 0800 0121 700 W: modernslaveryhelpline.org
Respect phoneline
For anyone concerned about their violence and/or abuse towards a partner or ex-partner
T: 0808 802 4040 E: info@respectphoneline.org.uk W: respectphoneline.org.uk
NSPCC helpline
The NSPCC helpline is staffed by trained professionals who can provide expert advice and support to adults with a child welfare concern. Adult victims of non-recent abuse can also get in touch for support.
T: 0800 800 5000 E: help@nspcc.org.uk W: nspcc.org.uk
NSPCC’s Childline service
Children and young people can contact Childline 365 days a year about anything that may be worrying them no matter how big or small it may seem.
T: 0800 1111 W: childline.org.uk
At trial Pickering denied he was getting rid of anything connected to the death of Miss Dowey, and said he had only been putting unwanted biscuits and crackers in the bins. He is due to be sentenced on Monday, February 5, but a judge told the 49-year-old there is only one sentence suitable for the crime he committed - a life sentence.
Following the trial, South Wales Police has shared CCTV footage of Pickering putting key evidence in a bin, as well as Pickering purchasing bleach at a corner shop following the murder
Detective Inspector David Butt said: “This conviction represents justice being served for Georgina’s murder – at the hands of her own partner. The actions Matthew Pickering took in his attempt to get away with murder were partially caught on CCTV.
“Georgina was last seen alive on Friday, May 5. The murder took place either later that evening or during the early hours of the following morning. He spent approximately 40 hours covering his tracks while Georgina’s body lay on the floor of his downstairs toilet.
“On Saturday May 6, he sent the following text to Georgina’s phone: ‘Did you make it to Merthyr ok? x’. He sent this text in full knowledge that her body was at his home.
Domestic violence does not occur in isolation
- Every week, two women are murdered by a partner or ex-partner (ONS, 2017).
- Nearly half (49%) of women murdered by their partner or ex-partner are killed less than a month after separation, 79% killed within six months of separation and 90% killed within a year of separation (ONS, 2017).
- The most common means of killing are by knife or sharp instrument (38%), and by strangulation or asphyxiation (22%). (Femicide Census, 2020)
- Domestic abuse-related crimes recorded by the police account for 32% of violent crimes (ONS, 2017)
- Women experience higher rates of repeat victimisation and are much more likely to be seriously hurt (Walby & Towers, 2017) or killed than male victims of domestic abuse (ONS, 2017)
“At 4.31pm that afternoon, he went to the corner shop on his street to buy bleach. He would later claim that he purchased the bleach as “his cat was playing in the blood on the living room floor,” so he had to wipe it up.
“He also got rid of key evidence by placing items in bins in the local area, including items that were found in a dog waste bin. Georgina had two mobile phones - neither of which have been found – and it is believed that Matthew Pickering disposed of them.
“He made disclosures to family members about what he had done the following day. My thoughts remain with Georgina's family who are understandably devastated by what has happened. I would like to thank the local community and witnesses for the support they have provided to this investigation.”
- If you, a family member a friend, or someone you are concerned about has experienced domestic abuse or sexual violence, you can contact the Live Fear Free Helpline 24 hours a day 7 days a week, for free advice and support or to talk through your options: 0808 801 08 00.
