A British man has pleaded guilty to murdering an Okanagan teenager who moved to England last year to meet him.
Jack Sepple was 23 years old when he was arrested for the Feb. 1, 2022 stabbing death of 19-year-old Ashley Wadsworth of Vernon, B.C.
Sepple has appeared in Chelmsford Crown Court, in Essex, northeast of London, and entered a guilty plea.
A court clerk confirmed Sepple is expected to be sentenced on Oct. 10.
Wadsworth met Sepple online and her Facebook page showed she moved to England last November.
She posted photos of what she described as an “amazing trip to London” with Sepple just weeks before she was killed.
A statement from Essex Police said Sepple entered the guilty plea during a trial preparation hearing on Wednesday.
“The evidence against Sepple is so overwhelming that he was left with very few options other than to admit his guilt,” said the statement from Det. Supt. Scott Egerton.
“At the very least, today’s plea means Ashley’s family will be spared the heartache of having to sit through a trial,” said Egerton.
Sepple faces a life term when he is sentenced next month and Egerton said he hopes the “substantial amount of time” Sepple will spend in custody provides “some form of comfort” to Wadsworth’s family.
A motive for the murder was not provided.
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Vernon’s Ashley Wadsworth was murdered in the U.K. Feb. 1, just days before she was scheduled to return home. (Ashley Wadsworth/Facebook photo)
