Men accused of killing Vietnamese woman are convicted murderers, jury told

Two maintenance men accused of torturing, raping and dumping a Vietnamese woman’s body in a burning car have previous convictions for murder, a court heard.

Stephen Unwin and William McFall deny murdering seven stone Quyen Ngoc Nguyen, 28, in a depraved crime Newcastle Crown Court heard was motivated by lust and greed.

The jury has heard she was lured to Unwin’s home in Shiney Row, Tyne and Wear, and subjected to a terrifying four-hour ordeal before she was dumped in her burning Audi A4 by some allotments.

A mourner outside Newcastle Crown Court carries a photograph of Quyen Ngoc Nguyen (Tom Wilkinson/PA)


Jamie Hill QC, prosecuting, said both defendants were previously convicted of murdering pensioners in burglaries in the 1990s, and both were sentenced to life, but had been released on licence.

The jury was told Unwin, 42, had a history of setting fires at the scenes of his crimes.





The prosecution then outlined McFall’s criminal history as part of what the jury was told was “bad character” evidence.

Mr Hill said McFall, who is 51 and originally from Northern Ireland, murdered 86-year-old Martha Gilmore with a hammer during a break-in in May 1996 at her home in Greenisland, Carrickfergus.

His victim had mobility problems, Mr Hill said, and disturbed the burglar so he knocked her to the ground before hitting her with the weapon.

Mr Hill said McFall later told a probation officer he killed Mrs Gilmore “due to alcohol, stress and panic when he became aware of her presence”.


McFall had previous convictions for violence and firearms offences.

Quyen Ngoc Nguyen (Northumbria Police/PA)

Quyen Ngoc Nguyen (Northumbria Police/PA)



She helped her sister run a nail salon in Gateshead, but there was also a secret element of her life – renting properties for people without the correct immigration documents, and some addresses were used to cultivate cannabis.



Men accused of killing Vietnamese woman are convicted...

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