Two friends 'strangled a schoolgirl, 16, and loaded her body into the back of a Vauxhall Astra after spiking her with ecstasy - then drove around phoning escorts and stopping to buy beer'

Megan Bannister was found on the back seat of a Vauxhall Astra in Enderby, Leicestershire

A 16-year-old girl was left to die on the backseat of a car by two men who gave her MDMA and strangled her before driving round ringing escorts, a court heard. 

A-level schoolgirl Megan Bannister was found half-covered by a coat, lying in the back of the Vauxhall Astra after the vehicle was involved in a crash near Enderby, Leicestershire.

Jason Burder and Adam King, both 28, are accused of plying Megan with alcohol and drugs before sending humiliating Snapchat videos of her 'out of it' and fitting.

Birmingham Crown Court heard the pair were seen putting Megan's lifeless body into King's car around 8am on May 14.

Burder had pretended to be 21 in order to convince chip shop worker Megan, to meet with him on May 12, jurors were told.

The pair met again the following night and in the early hours of the morning of May 14 picked up two grams of MDMA along with King, a DHL loader.

The three took the drug at Burder's house, although a post-mortem revealed that Megan's blood toxicity level was ten times that of the defendants. 

The prosecutor told the court Megan could have been spiked, while post-mortem tests showed Burder's semen inside and on her chest, as well as 'unusually' under King's fingernails.

As they drove round the streets of Leicester, phone records showed that the pair phoned up escort services and searched 'busty and exotic brunette', 'sexy lady lovely and warm' as well 'sensual and hot ladies' on the web.   

Jason Burder (left) and Adam King (right) both 28, are accused of Megan's manslaughter by gross negligence

Megan had suffered no fatal injuries as a result of the collision. She had '10 times the amount of MDMA' in her system than either of the two men

Megan, who had a part-time job and had dreamt of becoming a midwife, appeared lifeless with witnesses describing how her 'lips were blue'.

However, she had suffered no fatal injuries as a result of the collision, the jury was told today. 

Jurors were told they would hear from one young girl who had previous dealings with Burder and who, when she saw the footage of Megan, told Burder 'you spiked her, like you spiked me'.

A pathologist concluded two potential causes of death were either 'strangulation or a drug overdose', however they were unable to pinpoint the precise mechanism.

The A-level schoolgirl was found half-covered by a coat, lying in the back of the car after the vehicle was involved in a crash

Adam King (left) and Jay Burder (right) are both on trial at Birmingham Crown Court

Miranda Moore QC, opening the prosecution case, said Burder's mother spotted her son and King supporting a 'drunk' Megan into the car.

Asking her son 'Is everything alright?', he allegedly replied: 'Yeah - I'm just taking her home.'

Megan's mother Carol was at the start of their trial at Birmingham Crown Court

However, the prosecutor said: 'They weren't. They could have taken her to Leicester Royal Infirmary, they could have phoned 999, or asked Mrs Burder for her help.

'But they didn't.'

Jurors were told how phone analysis, ANPR roadside cameras, and shop receipts showed how instead of driving Megan to seek help, the men spent hours driving around until the crash.

Leaving Megan in the car, they pulled up at a shop at 8.06am, buying £15.08 of lager and cigarettes.

Miss Moore told the jury the shop's outside CCTV showed King walking back to the Vauxhall as he 'appears to be looking at the backseat of the car'.

From 8.46am, there were 'calls to escorts - working girls - and websites', the prosecutor added, with listings such as 'busty, exotic brunette', and 'escort - will blow your mind'.

Prosecutors claim Megan remained on the back seat of the car until at least 10.16am.  

Phone analysis, ANPR roadside cameras, and shop receipts showed how instead of driving Megan to seek help, King (left) and Burder (right) spent hours driving around until the crash

The court heard Burder and King, who were arrested at the crash scene, had 'collective amnesia' about what had happened to Megan, although Burder (left) claimed King (right) 'spiked' his beer

In a statement after her death, Megan's mother Carol described her daughter as a 'beautiful, talented, loving daughter and sister'. 

She added: 'Our hearts have been utterly broken by her death.

'The thought of life without Megan is impossible to imagine, and we cannot adequately express in words the sense of numbness and overwhelming grief we feel at her loss.' 

Miss Moore told the court: 'Megan Bannister was provided with alcohol and drugs by these two. She was also strangled at some point whilst in their company.

  

Megan's mother described her as a 'beautiful, talented, loving daughter and sister'

'The pathologist will say that it is unclear which mechanism - drugs or strangulation or a combination of both - that led to the death.

'It's unclear because these two lied about it.

'These two men, having left Megan Bannister in a perilous state by drug supply and then strangulation, left her with no care.

'You will see how close to his house was the A&E. You will hear that there was no 999 call, and no call for assistance.' 

Ms Moore added: 'Megan Bannister's phone was left behind at the house [Mr Burder's]. She did not get into that car willingly. 

'Her bra was also left behind in Mr Burder's bedroom. At some stage, she was undressed.

'That's further evidence that she was spiked. If they all took the same drugs, the level of toxicity would be the same.

'She was in their presence on Mr Burder's invitation. Mr Burder was even filming her and Mr King on Snapchat.

'No help was got for her, even if she was showing signs of ill health in the house. One witness believed that Megan was even fitting in the film, and sent a message back warning them.

'Not only did they not summon help but they actively avoided the very possibility of help.'

Following the crash, witnesses said the pair showed 'no concern' for the motorcyclist and his pillion passenger.

They even claimed that Megan as 'asleep' when asked by a concerned onlooker.

When one person approached to ask if they were ok, Burder simply replied: 'Yes, can I move my car?'

King even asked for a cigarette as he was handcuffed on suspicion of murder, jurors were told.

Burder (pictured) and King claimed that Megan as 'asleep' when asked by a concerned onlooker at the crash scene