Sadistic teen girl who laughed as she tortured man to death used to be ‘daddy’s girl’ – but then changed, neighbours say
A SADISTIC teenager jailed for life for the horrific homophobic murder of a doctor was a "daddy's girl" who went off the rails following her parent's divorce, according to her former neighbours.
Dionne Timms-Williams, 17, was part of a gang who tortured dad-of-two Dr Gary Jenkins to death, laughing as the 54-year-old begged them to stop.
Last week, she was caged for life with a minimum of 17 years and 125 days at Cardiff Crown Court.
In her mugshot, the smirking teenager grins at the camera, showing zero remorse for her horrific crimes.
Her fellow killers Jason Edwards, 25, and Lee Strickland, 36, were also jailed for life for the murder of Dr Jenkins in Bute Park, Cardiff, on July 20 last year.
The sickening attack was captured in a harrowing 15-minute clip, in which Dr Jenkins can be heard pleading "why" and "please, stop it," before his pained moans grow quieter.
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Timms-Williams, who was just 16 at the time, is heard yelling "money" and "now", before unleashing a string of homophobic insults at the dad-of-two.
Now, her former neighbours have spoken of their shock that the former "quiet" girl with "lovely parents" could commit something so heinous.
"Everyone around here is absolutely stunned by this awful murder," one neighbour told The Sun. "Dionne comes from two lovely parents, yet she’s gone out and done this."
Raised in the village of Creigau seven miles northwest of Cardiff, those who knew Timms-Williams said she was "distraught" when their parents split up, but that her actions still made zero sense.
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"Whatever has gone wrong in her life, this is just wicked and she deserves everything she gets now," the neighbour added. "She should be kept behind bars for the rest of her life for doing what she did."
Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: "Believe it or not, Dionne was a lovely girl. She was very quiet but she was always friendly and polite."
They said she was a "daddy's girl" who spent all her spare time with her mechanic father Dale helping him fix vehicles.
She told people she wanted to be a mechanic like her father when she left school.
'JEKYLL AND HYDE'
But when Dale left her and her mother Lisa three years ago, locals say the teenager changed completely
"She was never the same again," the neighbour added. "She started hanging around with kids that were up to no good and began drinking and smoking weed."
They went on: "She'd no longer say hello if you saw her in the street and you could tell she'd just gone off the rails."
The neighbour said the details that had come out of the courtroom about Dr Jenkins' murder had been "sickening".
Neighbours in the respectable cul-de-sac where she lived previously described the teenager as a "Jekyll and Hyde" figure whose innocent demeanour switched when she started taking drugs.
"She used to make decorations out of wildflowers and sell them for charity," a local told The Sun Online.
They added: "She was sweet and pretty growing up and never any trouble - it's hard to believe what's happened."
The neighbour said that Timms-Williams "had gone off the rails" in the past couple of years.
"She was like Jekyll and Hyde, there was a huge change in her. I think most people in the village knew she was messing about with drugs. She could look very vacant at times."
'EVIL AND SADISTIC'
Consultant psychiatrist Dr Jenkins, who lived alone in Cardiff after separating from his wife six years earlier, was taken to hospital for his injuries but died two weeks later.
In the chilling audio recording of the murder, Timms-Williams can be heard demanding "Get down", "Do it all over again", "Do it", "Hit him again", before a male voice adds: "Stamp on his head. Stamp on his head too."
The attack was random and motivated by "greed, homophobia, and a straightforward liking of violence," the court heard.
Bystander Louis Williams, who bravely tried to intervene to prevent the assault, described the teenager as "f***ing evil and sadistic".
Following the attack, the three hugged and celebrated in sickening displays caught on CCTV.
Timms-Williams then left Edwards and Strickland and calmly walked to a petrol station to charge her phone.
At 2.02am, her mum text her, asking: "Do you want picking up? xx" before she replied: "No I'm okay thanks."
She then went to stay at a friend's house, leaving Dr Jenkins' unconscious body near the Summerhouse Cafe, returning home the following day.
PLAYED THE VICTIM
Cynically, she later tried to claim to police she was forced to join in the attack because she was "scared for her life".
Wrapping herself in a blanket during her police interview in a bid to appear innocent, she told cops: "I saw one of the males throwing a punch. I saw him fall to the floor. They were both kicking and punching.
"They said 'come on', for me to join in. I was terrified and scared for my life. I thought if I didn't do what he wanted I would die. I couldn't believe what was going on.
"I have never been in the city centre at night on my own. I have never witnessed anything like that in my life."
Dr Jenkins was bisexual and was known by friends and colleagues to visit Bute Park and have consexual sex with other men.
The prosecution said the three killers had been "in search of vulnerable gay men who were in the park for sex" to rob.
Whatever has gone wrong in her life, this is just wicked and she deserves everything she gets now
Neighbour, Dionne Timms-Williams
After the attack, Dr Jenkins was rushed to the University Hospital of Wales but died of an "unsurvivable brain injury" two weeks later.
His injuries included several bleeds to the brain, a fractured jaw, a broken nose, swelling to the skull, and multiple rib fractures.
In a victim impact statement, his wife said the family's "world fell apart" when they found out about the attack.
She said: "As a family, we were devastated to learn about what happened to Gary as he was such a kind soul who would not hurt anyone.
"Gary was smart and funny and the heart and soul of every party.
"After seeing Gary in hospital unconscious and unrecognisable we have all had to face up to the nightmare of what happened to him."
Mrs Jenkins said their daughters have struggled in school and keep having nightmares following their father's death.
She said her husband "always went the extra mile" for his patients and was a "humane, kind, compassionate" doctor.
"We can't bring Gary back," she added. "There are no winners in this case, only losers."
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Edwards, Strickland, and Timms-Williams pleaded guilty to manslaughter, robbery, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
All three were found guilty of murder on February 3, following a trial at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court, and were sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court earlier this month.