Man jailed for life for Claire Knights murder

A man who murdered a lone woman walking her dog on an isolated footpath in Kent has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 25 years. 

Harrison Lawrence-Van Pooss killed Claire Knights on 23 August 2023, as she walked back from the beach at Minnis Bay, Birchington. He sexually assaulted her and beat her repeatedly. He then left her body in a nearby dyke. Claire did not know her attacker. 

Claire’s body was concealed by the reeds and grasses and was not found for two days. Her son and his friends, who were searching for her, discovered her body in the dyke. 

The day before the murder, Lawrence-Van Pooss had been caught upskirting a woman. He was confronted but went on the run before he could be arrested. It is believed he camped out by the beach overnight, before attacking Claire the following afternoon.

When he was found and arrested by police, Lawrence-Van Pooss had Claire’s dog with him. He had earlier taken the dog to a shop to buy dog treats. 

When apprehended for the voyeurism offence on the evening of Claire’s murder, he tried to persuade the police that he did not know who he was. It was not known at this time that Claire had been attacked and lay fatally injured in the dyke. 

Lawrence-Van Pooss eventually pleaded guilty to murder and voyeurism in December 2024. 

Natalie Smith from the Crown Prosecution Service South East said: “None of us can imagine the terror that Claire suffered when she was attacked, knowing that she was alone on an isolated path and being overpowered by a strong and determined man.

“It was our case that Lawrence-Van Pooss singled out Claire as a lone woman walking her dog who would be unable to fight him off. 

“Women should be free to safely walk on their own anywhere, even in isolated areas, without fear of being attacked. 

“Male violence against women has no place in our society. The CPS is dedicated to bringing perpetrators like Lawrence-Van Pooss who commit these horrific crimes to justice.

“Claire’s family and friends have shown true resilience and dignity throughout this horrendous time. Today they have finally seen the man who murdered Claire jailed for life and we hope this brings them some small comfort.” 

Building the case 

Following Lawrence-Van Pooss’ arrest, he was detained for mental health treatment. Extensive expert reports from both the prosecution and defence were commissioned. He continued to claim he had no memory of what had happened, until he claimed to have his memory return in June 2024, when the case was listed for trial. He later stated that this was a false memory about the events leading up to the attack on Claire. 

Throughout this time, the Crown Prosecution Service continued to build the case against him, ready for a planned trial in June 2024. 

Claire’s blood was found on Lawrence Van Pooss’ backpack, indicating it was near to her at the time she was attacked. Items that he had purchased, both before and after Claire’s murder, were found in the “den” he had created and is believed to be where he slept the night before, which was just a few minutes from the scene of the murder.  

In addition to proving the defendant was responsible for Claire’s murder, the case was also built around the defendant’s state of mind at the time Claire was killed. 

Witnesses who spoke with him on the day, including after Claire’s murder, described their interactions with him and a dog that they believed was his. After killing Claire, Lawrence-Van Pooss had the presence of mind to move her body and any evidence, throwing her possessions in the dyke and even ripping up blood-stained grass and putting it into a plastic shopping bag