He will serve a minimum term of 49 years in prison, less 380 days already spent on remand.   Mark Brown, 41, was found guilty of the murders of Leah Ware, 33, and Alexandra Morgan, 34, at Little Bridge Farm in Westfield, near Hastings.   He denied both murders, but after a seven-week trial at Hove Crown Court, he was found guilty by a unanimous jury on December 1, 2022.   On Friday, January 13, 2023, he was sentenced in the same court.   ‘Brown is a dangerous individual who poses a significant threat to women,’ said Detective Chief Inspector Neil Kimber of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate. He preyed on Leah and Alex’s vulnerabilities and worked to gain their trust, only to then exploit it for his own personal gain.   ‘It was critical that his sentence truly reflect the heinous nature of his crimes and ensure he is not in a position to harm any other women for the rest of his life,’ said the judge.   When Alex Morgan’s parents reported her missing to Kent Police on November 18, 2021, after she failed to return home as expected, an investigation was launched.   Alex, a mother of two young children, met Brown on an adult services website. Hours of analysing ANPR and CCTV footage, as well as Alex’s phone records, revealed that on Sunday 14 November, she drove from her home in Sissinghurst near Cranbrook to meet Brown at Little Bridge Farm.   Brown, of Squirrel Close, St Leonards, East Sussex, was charged with her murder on November 28, 2021, after evidence revealed that he killed Alex at Little Bridge Farm and burned her body in an oil drum.   Officers discovered the oil drum near Sevenoaks, where Brown worked, and forensic odontologists used dental records to confirm the remains were those of Alex Morgan.   After being presented with this evidence in court, Brown admitted to burning Alex’s body after she died but insisted he was not responsible for her murder, rather that she died after slipping and falling at the scene.   Officers discovered prescription drugs in the name of Leah Ware while searching Brown’s van. Detectives attempted to locate Leah, believing she might be able to assist them with their ongoing investigations but were unsuccessful. On November 26, Kent Police contacted Sussex Police about Leah’s welfare, and officers launched a missing person investigation.

Leah had been in a relationship with Mark Brown, whom she met through an adult services website in March 2018, and she lived in the shipping container he kept at Little Bridge Farm, according to detectives.   However, Leah had not been seen or spoken to since early May 2021. She had not communicated with family or friends, either in person or online, and detectives discovered no evidence of her using a mobile phone, accessing her finances, or receiving medical care since that time.

Sussex Police concluded that Mark Brown was the last person to see Leah alive and that she died on or around May 7, 2021.   Brown had attempted to give the impression that Leah was still alive after her death. He picked up her weekly prescriptions and drew money from her bank account on a regular basis. This was at odds with information Brown provided to colleagues and friends about Leah’s whereabouts, claiming she was either in the hospital or had committed suicide.   Brown, who was already in custody for the murder of Alex Morgan, was then questioned by Sussex Police officers about the disappearance of Leah Ware. He made no comment and was charged with her murder on February 1, 2022.   ‘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,’ said Detective Superintendent Andy Wolstenholme of the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team.   ‘Even though the court case is over, we remain committed to following up on any viable lines of inquiry that may lead us to Leah’s body and provide her family with some of the answers they so desperately want and deserve.’