A “sadistic killer” lab technician has been convicted of murdering his work colleague at his parents’ home before dumping her body in a country lane.

Ross McCullam, who had admitted manslaughter, claimed he could not be guilty of murdering 23-year-old Megan Newborough, because he acted after a loss of control inadvertently triggered by his victim.

The 30-year-old sought to blame Miss Newborough, of Nuneaton, Warwickshire, claiming he went into a “blind rage” set off by undiagnosed PTSD caused by unreported childhood sexual abuse.

McCullam told a jury the fatal incident was inadvertently triggered when Newborough allegedly prepared to give him oral sex at his parents’ home, in Windsor Close, Coalville, Leicestershire, on August 6, 2021.

But he was unanimously convicted in just over an hour and a half by a Leicester Crown Court jury on Monday.

McCullam, who was standing to hear the verdict, simply nodded as it was read by the jury’s foreman.

McCullam was undone by his own lies, including having earlier told detectives during a police interview that how, not content with strangling her – he waited on his own account for up to 10 minutes before fetching a carving knife and cutting her throat.