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| Samantha Eastwood: Midwife murderer jailed for 17 years | Samantha Eastwood: Midwife murderer jailed for 17 years |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The man who murdered midwife Samantha Eastwood went to his parents' house for dinner with her dead body in his van, a sentencing hearing was told. | The man who murdered midwife Samantha Eastwood went to his parents' house for dinner with her dead body in his van, a sentencing hearing was told. |
| Michael Stirling, 32, admitted killing Ms Eastwood, from Stoke-on-Trent, after a "long-standing" affair. | Michael Stirling, 32, admitted killing Ms Eastwood, from Stoke-on-Trent, after a "long-standing" affair. |
| He buried the 28-year-old in a shallow grave with tape around her head at Caverswall, Staffordshire, in August, eight days after she went missing. | He buried the 28-year-old in a shallow grave with tape around her head at Caverswall, Staffordshire, in August, eight days after she went missing. |
| Stirling was sentenced to a minimum of 17 years in jail for her murder. | Stirling was sentenced to a minimum of 17 years in jail for her murder. |
| Ms Eastwood was last seen leaving her work at Royal Stoke University Hospital on the morning of 27 July. | |
| She was "smothered and strangled to death" by Stirling at her home hours later. | |
| Her body was discovered at a disused quarry on 5 August wrapped in a duvet with tape covering her eyes and mouth. | |
| After burying her body, married landscape gardener Stirling, who is the brother-in-law of Ms Eastwood's ex-fiancé John Peake, joined in the searches to find her. | |
| He comforted her family and sent messages from her phone so people would think she was still alive. | |
| In sentencing, Judge Mrs Justice Sue Carr said Stirling had "lied over and over again". | |
| Latest news and updates from the West Midlands | |
| In a victim impact statement read to the court, Ms Eastwood's sister, Gemma, said Stirling gave her a hug the day after her sister went missing. | In a victim impact statement read to the court, Ms Eastwood's sister, Gemma, said Stirling gave her a hug the day after her sister went missing. |
| She said that moment would "forever haunt her" and her sibling was treated like "a piece of meat" by the killer. | |
| Stirling's lawyer Charles Miskin QC said his client and Ms Eastwood had been in the bedroom when he pushed her and she knocked her head on a bedroom table. | |
| "He got down on one knee, she wasn't scared of him, she was laughing at him. He then lost all his self-control," Mr Miskin added. | |
| Prosecutor Jonas Hankin QC told of how Mr Peake went to Ms Eastwood's home later on 27 July to find the house empty. | |
| He discovered her engagement ring, some birthday cards he had sent her and her wedding dress laid out on her bed, which were put there by Stirling as a red herring, Mr Haskin said. | |
| Police described Stirling as "cold", "callous" and "remorseless" in murdering the woman he had conducted a "full-on and intimate" affair with over three years. | |
| Det Insp Dan Ison, who led the investigation, said that just hours after burying Miss Eastwood, Stirling went back to her home where concerned family had gathered to offer comfort. | |
| The killer returned to the burial site by bicycle days later while he was under surveillance, and when confronted by officers he said he was on his way to see a friend. |