Matalan murders: Andrew Saunders jailed for life for killing couple

He has been sentenced to a minimum term of 23 years

Zoe Morgan and her partner Lee Simmons were stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend Andrew Saunders as they arrived for work at Matalan in Cardiff (PA)

Andrew Saunders has been sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering Matalan workers Zoe Morgan and Lee Simmons in September last year.

Saunders, 21, has been sentenced to a minimum term of 23 years and four months at Cardiff Crown Court for the “sustained and brutal” attack on his ex-girlfriend and her new partner outside a store in Cardiff as they arrived for work. He had admitted to the murders at a hearing in December.

Saunders used two knives to attack 21-year-old Morgan and her 33-year-old partner on the morning of 28 September outside Matalan’s store on Queen Street, stabbing them to death.

They were discovered two hours before the shop was due to open at 8am, with eight stab wounds each.

In the days leading up to the killings Saunders was discovered to have bought knives and latex gloves, and to have conducted Google searches relating to murder, including “the easiest way to kill a person,” “how long do murderers serve in prison” and “how to slice a neck”. The day before the double murder he bought an air rifle and 500 pellets.

Saunders had been in a relationship with Miss Morgan for around a year between June 2014 and July 2015, the court heard, before getting back together a year later but not telling their families.

Miss Morgan then met Mr Simmons while working at Matalan in 2016 and they began dating in July. When she told Saunders their relationship was over, he responded by accusing her of cheating and vowing to “kill whoever it is”.

Saunders later sent Miss Morgan a photograph of the back of her house. He told her he had contacted Mr Simmons on Facebook and threatened to kill him, saying he would “smash his f****** head in”.

On the morning of the double murder, Saunders was seen near the phone boxes near Matalan at 5.30am, the court heard. He ambushed Miss Morgan who was due to start a shift at 6.00am and Mr Simmons, who was not working but had accompanied Miss Morgan to the store.

Saunders used two weapons to stab Mr Simmons. At first he removed an eight-inch knife from his back and attacked him, before switching to a 10-inch knife when the weapon appeared to break.

Forensic officers at the scene in Queen Street, near Cardiff Castle after the bodies of Miss Morgan and Mr Simmons were found in Cardiff city centre (PA)

Witnesses described Saunders as being “in a frenzy” while he attacked Mr Simmons, who pleaded with him to stop.

When Miss Morgan attempted to pull Saunders off of Mr Simmons, he told her “I’m coming for you next”.

Screaming, she was chased down Queen Street and was attacked near Boots, where Saunders stabbed her with the second knife.

The court heard that Miss Morgan suffered a total of 32 injuries and Mr Simmons 14 injuries in the attack.

After leaving the scene, Saunders called his mother at 5.58 am for 11 minutes and returned home in his car minutes afterwards.

He then texted his father, saying: “Thanks for being a pathetic, useless father. Just killed two people. Cheers.”

Mrs Justice Nicola Davies told Saunders: “In a sustained and brutal attack you ended these lives.

“You took away the futures of Lee Simmons and Zoe Morgan. You robbed the families of Lee Simmons and Zoe Morgan of a much loved son and a much loved daughter. The effect on each family has been devastating.”

After the hearing Kelly Huggins, from the CPS, described the murders as “brutal, unprovoked and premeditated”.

She said: “Saunders attended the location well before Zoe Morgan and Lee Simmons arrived for work that day and ambushed them. As he brutally attacked them he also showed no concern for members of the public who were subjected to a frightening scene of violence.”

In a statement released following the sentencing, Miss Morgan’s family said the whole family had a “life sentence” from her murder.

“We are all totally broken-hearted and will miss our beautiful, intelligent girl for the rest of our lives,” they said.

“We have had a life sentence put on us by the horrible individual.

“Zoe and her partner Lee could have had a bright and happy future together and will miss out on so much.”

The family of Mr Simmons said no sentence or punishment “will ever compensate for the loss of Lee’s life”.

Additional reporting by PA