- Emily Ford & Catherine da Costa
- bbc news
image source, thames valley police
Scarlett Blake previously pleaded guilty to cat-related criminal damage charges
A murderer who live-streamed the death of a man and the killing of his cat months ago has been sentenced to a minimum of 24 years in prison.
Scarlet Blake punched Jorge Martin Carreno and pushed him into the River Cherwell in Oxford in July 2021.
The judge said a Netflix show about cat murders was “involved” in Blake’s plan. She was found guilty of murder at Oxford Crown Court last Friday.
Her trial heard she was looking for potential victims on the street.
Blake had already admitted charges of criminal damage relating to the cat.
The court previously heard how the 26-year-old came to the UK from China when she was nine and came out to her parents as transgender when she was 12.
She said it “caused a big emotional rift” that “made my dad really unhappy and my mom as well.”
image source, Handouts to families
Jorge Martin Carreno was a Spaniard who worked at the Oxford Mini factory.
Jurors were told how Blake, formerly known as Alice Wang, had an “extreme interest in death and harm” that “went beyond mere fantasy”.
Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said Ms Blake “derived sexual gratification from thoughts of violence and death”.
She previously told jurors that Mr Carreno, a Spaniard who works at a mini-factory in the city, had been out drinking at night with colleagues after coronavirus restrictions were lifted.
He then suffered the “great misfortune” of running into Blake after becoming separated from his friends and possibly getting lost.
The court heard she punched the man in the head and tried to strangle him before pushing him into the water and drowning him.
Warning: This story contains graphic details that some readers may find disturbing.
Blake was captured on police body-worn video saying, “At least this isn’t a genocide.”
Blake previously told jurors about an online relationship he developed with Ashlyn Bell, a fellow trans woman in the United States.
But the court heard how she dissected it, put it in a blender and took a “grotesque pleasure” in doing so.
In the livestream video, the New Order song “True Faith” could be heard in the background, but the court heard this was a reference to the Netflix documentary “Don’t F*** With Cats” in which a man kills a kitten before filming. It was recognized as a homage to “. murder of a person.
Sentencing him, Judge Chamberlain KC said: “You told the court that you had nothing to do with this documentary, but I am convinced that this is not true and that killing cats is different from killing people. “I’m sure the documentary played a role in your mind in relation to killing.” Man. “
Murderer Scarlett Blake’s route to Jorge Martín Carreno’s death was caught on surveillance camera
Mr Carreno’s two brothers read statements in court, saying the extent of their grief was “indescribable”.
“We were triplets, born together, raised together and were best friends. Jorge brightened up any room, always spreading joy. Above all, he was a good person,” they said.
“Scarlett Blake has shown no remorse whatsoever for her actions, making it even more difficult to process. She took Jorge’s life for her own sexual pleasure.” That’s very disturbing to know.”
Carreño’s mother, Carmen, read a eulogy in court: “Jorge was not only an exemplary child, he was also an extraordinary person.
“This loss feels like a traumatic and devastating blow, leaving a void that will never be filled. To experience the pain of losing a son, a brother under such tragic and unjust circumstances… It is a challenge that the family must face.His absence today has a great impact.”A deep wound in our hearts. ”
In his closing remarks, Judge Chamberlain said the Carreno family had watched the trial with “impressive dignity.”
After sentencing, the defendant said there was a “clear sexual motive” for the killing.
He said: “I’m sure I took the same pleasure in killing Jorge as I did in killing the cat.
“You rejoice in what you have done, return to the scene at least twice to take photographs, and consciously use your position as a murderer to excite the admiration of others who share an interest in harm, death, and killing.” has been secured.”
Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector John Capps previously said there were “truly disturbing” aspects to the case and that jurors would be provided with support given the nature of the evidence.
For the murder, Blake was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 24 years, minus the 196 days he had already spent in custody.
She was sentenced to four months in prison for causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and two months in prison for criminal damage, both sentences to be served concurrently.
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