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| Tracey Woodford murder: Christopher May jailed for life | Tracey Woodford murder: Christopher May jailed for life |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| An ex-butcher who killed and dismembered a woman before carrying her severed head through a town to hide it has been jailed for life. | An ex-butcher who killed and dismembered a woman before carrying her severed head through a town to hide it has been jailed for life. |
| The mutilated body of Tracey Woodford, 47, was discovered at Christopher May's flat in Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taff, in April. | The mutilated body of Tracey Woodford, 47, was discovered at Christopher May's flat in Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taff, in April. |
| The 50-year-old was found guilty of murder at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday. | The 50-year-old was found guilty of murder at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday. |
| On Friday, May was told he will serve at least 28 years. | On Friday, May was told he will serve at least 28 years. |
| Members of Ms Woodford's family, who have been in court throughout the trial, cried "yes" as sentence was passed. | |
| Mrs Justice Nicola Davies branded May a dangerous sexual predator and said he may never be a free man again. | |
| Her family said they were "heartbroken" and struggling to cope in victim impact statements, read during a mitigation hearing on Thursday ahead of May's sentencing. | Her family said they were "heartbroken" and struggling to cope in victim impact statements, read during a mitigation hearing on Thursday ahead of May's sentencing. |
| Her mother Linda Woodford said she "felt like I was living in a nightmare" when police told her that her daughter's remains had been found and identified through her fingerprints. | Her mother Linda Woodford said she "felt like I was living in a nightmare" when police told her that her daughter's remains had been found and identified through her fingerprints. |
| She described drinking "just to blot things out" in the weeks following her daughter's murder. | She described drinking "just to blot things out" in the weeks following her daughter's murder. |
| "He has torn my family apart. He has destroyed us totally," she said. | "He has torn my family apart. He has destroyed us totally," she said. |
| Ms Woodford's brother Sean added: "I'm now angry every day; I wasn't before. I struggle to sleep most nights." | Ms Woodford's brother Sean added: "I'm now angry every day; I wasn't before. I struggle to sleep most nights." |
| May always claimed he had either been acting in self defence or had lost control. | May always claimed he had either been acting in self defence or had lost control. |
| But prosecutors said the murder was motivated by a "perverted sexual desire" after the pair met at the Skinny Dog pub in the town on 21 April. | But prosecutors said the murder was motivated by a "perverted sexual desire" after the pair met at the Skinny Dog pub in the town on 21 April. |
| Some of Ms Woodford's remains were found at May's flat by two police officers carrying out routine inquiries three days after she had been reported missing. | Some of Ms Woodford's remains were found at May's flat by two police officers carrying out routine inquiries three days after she had been reported missing. |
| Her decapitated torso was recovered from a black bag in a kitchen cupboard and a right thumb was found in a handbag along with a purse with Ms Woodford's bank cards. | Her decapitated torso was recovered from a black bag in a kitchen cupboard and a right thumb was found in a handbag along with a purse with Ms Woodford's bank cards. |
| Her head was discovered in an "underground chamber" of a storm drain at the Sardis Road rugby ground - home to Pontypridd RFC. | Her head was discovered in an "underground chamber" of a storm drain at the Sardis Road rugby ground - home to Pontypridd RFC. |
| The jury was told Ms Woodford, who lived with her brother and mother, had been strangled by May, who was "determined and cold blooded". | The jury was told Ms Woodford, who lived with her brother and mother, had been strangled by May, who was "determined and cold blooded". |
| Malcom Bishop QC, defending, said there was "no evidence of sadistic conduct" and the judge could not be sure what had happened. | Malcom Bishop QC, defending, said there was "no evidence of sadistic conduct" and the judge could not be sure what had happened. |
| Mr Bishop reminded the judge that May had directed police to some of Ms Woodford's missing body parts and prosecution witnesses described what happened as "out of character" for May. | Mr Bishop reminded the judge that May had directed police to some of Ms Woodford's missing body parts and prosecution witnesses described what happened as "out of character" for May. |