Pair left girl to die on backseat while driving around ringing escorts, court hears

Megan Bannister had suffered no fatal injuries as a result of the collision. She had "10 times the amount of MDMA" in her system than either of the two men. Photo / Leicestershire Police

A 16-year-old girl was left to die on the backseat of a car by two men who gave her MDMA and strangled her before driving round ringing escorts, a court heard.

A-level schoolgirl Megan Bannister was found half-covered by a coat, lying in the back of the Vauxhall Astra after the vehicle was involved in a crash near Enderby, Leicestershire.

Jason Burder and Adam King, both 28, are accused of plying Megan with alcohol and drugs before sending humiliating Snapchat videos of her "out of it" and fitting, according to the Daily Mail.

Birmingham Crown Court heard the pair were seen putting Megan's lifeless body into King's car around 8am on May 14.

Burder had pretended to be 21 in order to convince chip shop worker Megan, to meet with him on May 12, jurors were told.

The pair met again the following night and in the early hours of the morning of May 14 picked up two grams of MDMA along with King, a DHL loader.

The three took the drug at Burder's house, although a post-mortem revealed that Megan's blood toxicity level was ten times that of the defendants.

The prosecutor told the court Megan could have been spiked, while post-mortem tests showed Burder's semen inside and on her chest, as well as 'unusually' under King's fingernails.

As they drove round the streets of Leicester, phone records showed that the pair phoned up escort services and searched "busty and exotic brunette", "sexy lady lovely and warm" as well "sensual and hot ladies" on the web.

Megan, who had a part-time job and had dreamt of becoming a midwife, appeared lifeless with witnesses describing how her "lips were blue".

However, she had suffered no fatal injuries as a result of the collision, the jury was told today.

Jurors were told they would hear from one young girl who had previous dealings with Burder and who, when she saw the footage of Megan, told Burder "you spiked her, like you spiked me".

Megan Bannister's mother described her as a "beautiful, talented, loving daughter and sister". Photo / Facebook

A pathologist concluded two potential causes of death were either "strangulation or a drug overdose", however they were unable to pinpoint the precise mechanism.

Miranda Moore QC, opening the prosecution case, said Burder's mother spotted her son and King supporting a "drunk" Megan into the car.

Asking her son "Is everything alright?", he allegedly replied: "Yeah - I'm just taking her home."

However, the prosecutor said: "They weren't. They could have taken her to Leicester Royal Infirmary, they could have phoned 999, or asked Mrs Burder for her help.

"But they didn't."

Jurors were told how phone analysis, ANPR roadside cameras, and shop receipts showed how instead of driving Megan to seek help, the men spent hours driving around until the crash.

Leaving Megan in the car, they pulled up at a shop, buying lager and cigarettes.

Miss Moore told the jury the shop's outside CCTV showed King walking back to the Vauxhall as he "appears to be looking at the backseat of the car".

From 8.46am (local time), there were "calls to escorts - working girls - and websites", the prosecutor added, with listings such as "busty, exotic brunette", and "escort - will blow your mind".

Prosecutors claim Megan remained on the back seat of the car until at least 10.16am (local time).

In a statement after her death, Megan's mother Carol described her daughter as a "beautiful, talented, loving daughter and sister".

She added: "Our hearts have been utterly broken by her death.

"The thought of life without Megan is impossible to imagine, and we cannot adequately express in words the sense of numbness and overwhelming grief we feel at her loss."

Miss Moore told the court: "Megan Bannister was provided with alcohol and drugs by these two. She was also strangled at some point whilst in their company.

"The pathologist will say that it is unclear which mechanism - drugs or strangulation or a combination of both - that led to the death.

"It's unclear because these two lied about it.

"These two men, having left Megan Bannister in a perilous state by drug supply and then strangulation, left her with no care.

Megan Bannister was found on the back seat of a Vauxhall Astra in Enderby, Leicestershire. Photo / Facebook

"You will see how close to his house was the A&E. You will hear that there was no 999 call, and no call for assistance."

Ms Moore added: "Megan Bannister's phone was left behind at the house [Mr Burder's]. She did not get into that car willingly.

"Her bra was also left behind in Mr Burder's bedroom. At some stage, she was undressed.

"That's further evidence that she was spiked. If they all took the same drugs, the level of toxicity would be the same.

"She was in their presence on Mr Burder's invitation. Mr Burder was even filming her and Mr King on Snapchat.

"No help was got for her, even if she was showing signs of ill health in the house. One witness believed that Megan was even fitting in the film, and sent a message back warning them.

"Not only did they not summon help but they actively avoided the very possibility of help."

Following the crash, witnesses said the pair showed "no concern" for the motorcyclist and his pillion passenger.

They even claimed that Megan as "asleep" when asked by a concerned onlooker.

When one person approached to ask if they were ok, Burder simply replied: "Yes, can I move my car?"

King even asked for a cigarette as he was handcuffed on suspicion of murder, jurors were told.

Ms Moore said: "One of the first people on the scene was a nurse. She immediately went to the motorcyclist and the pillion passenger.

"No one was aware of or had seen Megan Bannister. She was laid across the back seat, covered in coats.

"This witness noticed a pair of legs wearing black leggings on the back seat. At this point she can see a girl who we now know is Megan Bannister.

"She [the witness] then asked if she was ok. The pair of them said 'yeah, she's asleep'.

"The nurse noticed that she was already dead at the time she was taken out of the car.

"During the time that the witnesses were trying to help her, the defendants were seated in their car and showed no concern.

"Most people commented on how relaxed they seemed to be about the passers-by trying to help her or the condition that she was in."

In a police interview, Burder and King claimed they "could not remember" anything from taking drugs until the car crash.

The court heard Burder's semen was also found on Megan's chest and inside her, suggesting they had sex either on the evening they met or the night of her death.

Mrs Moore said: "These two told Mrs Burder that they were taking the unwell Megan home. They were not.

"They could've taken her minutes away to the Leicester Royal Infirmary and left her there - even if they did not want to be identified.

"They could have phoned 999. They could have asked Mrs Burder for help. But they did not.

"We say that these two were responsible for putting her in that situation, and they did nothing to help.

"Instead of doing so, they looked for working girls and brought booze and cigarettes and drank and smoke."

Burder also denies supplying class A drugs, possession and supply of MDMA, supplying cocaine and offering to supply MDMA.

King also denies supplying class A drugs. The trial, due to last three weeks, continues.