Where is Joshua Stimpson now?
The Channel 5 series Stalked: Murder in Slow Motion tells the tragic stories of young women who were murdered by their stalkers.
One episode is centered around Molly McLaren who was stalked and murdered by her ex-boyfriend Joshua Stimpson.
In this article, we take a brief look at the case and ask the question: Where is Joshua Stimpson now?
Who is Joshua Stimpson?
Joshua Stimpson grew up in Stoke-on-Trent but he later moved to Wouldham, Rochester. When he was 26 years old, he met a girl named Molly McLaren on Tinder. They began dating in 2016 but their relationship ended in June 2018, when Molly decided to split up with him.
Following their breakup, Joshua began to post derogatory things about Molly on Facebook. These included posts about her using drugs and other lies that he tagged so that her friends and family would see them.
Who is Molly McLaren?
Molly McLaren was a student at the University of Kent. After breaking up with Joshua, she told friends that she was afraid of her ex, who had begun harassing her online.
She went to a North Kent police station with her mum and told them about Joshua’s behaviour. The police then spoke to Joshua and warned him to stop harassing Molly. If he didn’t, they told him he would face prosecution.
What did Joshua Stimpson do?
On June 29, 2018, Joshua Stimpson murdered Molly.
Two days before, he was caught on CCTV purchasing a knife from Asda. Shortly after, he also bought a pickaxe from Homebase.
On the day of the murder, Molly was working out at the gym. Joshua, who had been stalking her for two weeks, turned up at the gym, much to Molly’s shock and horror. She texted her mum, saying “Mum he’s turned up at the gym and come next to me.” She then sent messages to her friends.
When Molly returned to her car, Joshua yanked open her door and stabbed her repeatedly. She beeped her horn while trying to fight him off, but sadly, she died during the horrific attack.
After his crime, Joshua, now covered in blood, got out of her car and paced up and down. Shortly after, the police arrived and he was arrested.
Where is Joshua Stimpson now?
Joshua Stimpson appeared at Maidstone Crown Court, where he admitted manslaughter, claiming diminished responsibility due to a mental condition.
However, the jury didn’t accept this excuse and found him guilty. When giving him his sentence, Judge Adele Williams branded him “wicked and cowardly.” She told him:
“This was a cruel and cowardly act. This was an act of wickedness. You took away Molly’s life quite deliberately in the most vicious fashion.
You slit her throat while repeatedly stabbing her. You did this because she had brought the relationship with you to an end about 12 days before this killing.” (source)
Joshua was jailed for life, for a minimum of 26 years. He is currently eligible for parole on 28th January 2044.
What do you think about Joshua Stimpson’s case? Let us know in the comments below.