DAVID Browning chillingly confessed to killing his boss Jillian Howell in 2017.
The horrific crime and Browning’s conviction are examined in the Channel 5 true crime series A Killer Makes a Call – here’s everything you need to know.
Jillian Howell was stabbed to death[/caption]
Who is David Browning?
In October 2017, David Browning arrived at Brighton police station and calmly told officers that he had killed his boss – 46-year-old Jillian Howell.
At the time of her death, Ms Howell worked in the payroll department at the University of Brighton.
Browning, a married father-of-two, also worked in the University’s finance department and had done so since 1989.
Work environment
When Ms Howell joined the department in 2015, she became Browning’s manager.
Browning had initially claimed there was a “toxic” working environment at the university and said that Ms Howell would ‘’take to task’’ by shouting, humiliating, and belittling them on occasion – although later admitting this was embellished.
Despite initial friction between the pair, the court heard that Browning and Ms Howell later became close after Browning struggled with depression following the loss of his father.
After hearing the news, Ms Howell, who also volunteered for the Samaritans, began to support Browning as his boss.
Brutal attack
On October 26, 2017, after meeting Ms Howel at her home address for further support, Browning confided in his boss about his mental state.
However, the jury was told that after speaking with Ms Howel, Browning feared that she would try to get him sectioned.
As she got up to put on her shoes, Browning attacked Ms Howell, stabbing her multiple times.
He also wrote the word ”bully” on her body and graffiti had been sprayed on the walls suggesting that Ms Howell’s friend and former detective Sean McDonald was complicit in the crime.
Browning then left her body in the lounge for up to six hours before calling 999 from outside the police station.
After admitting to officers where and when the crime took place, Browning added: “Front door’s left open. When you go in there are some shotgun shells on the table. Two boxes.”
Officers then arrived at the scene, where Ms Howell was found dead.
Sean McDonald pictured alongside Jillian Howell[/caption]
After discovering the graffiti scrawled on the walls, police soon uncovered Browning’s elaborate plot to shift the blame onto Sean McDonald and he was later eliminated from the investigation.
Justice for Jillian
Browning initially denied murder but admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
However, in May 2018, he was found guilty of murder at Hove Crown Court and sentenced to 28 years in prison.
In his closing argument to the court, Prosecutor Alan Gardner pointed out that Browning had never given a proper explanation for why he killed Ms Howell, but said the violent attack came after he found she didn’t share his romantic feelings.
Mr Gardner explained: “He plainly became attracted to her.
“But, on October 26 last year, he discovered she didn’t have the same feelings as him. She rejected him and Mr Browning reacted with anger and violence, that is the reality of the case, the prosecution says.
”This was a crime driven by those feelings…of anger, jealousy, betrayal, those sort of things.’’
In court, sentencing Judge Christine Laing QC added: ”I am quite satisfied that what led to you killing her was a very ordinary cocktail of human emotions, desire, jealousy, frustration and anger.
”Jillian did more than most people would have done to support you as a concerned colleague and friend but it is plain you wanted to be more important or special to her than that.
”I have watched you closely during this trial and you have shown no emotion and little remorse other than for your own situation.”
How to watch A Killer Makes a Call
A Killer Makes a Call will air on Channel 5 on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.
The fourth episode of the second series will start at 10pm and is available to watch on My5.
Previous episodes of the series are also available to stream.
David Browning was found guilty[/caption]
