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Pc given life for fiancee murder | Pc given life for fiancee murder |
(about 1 hour later) | |
An ex-Pc has been jailed for life with an 18-year minimum tariff for fatally bludgeoning his fiancee, then pretending she had been in a car crash. | An ex-Pc has been jailed for life with an 18-year minimum tariff for fatally bludgeoning his fiancee, then pretending she had been in a car crash. |
Martin Forshaw, 27, of Tottington, Bury, admitted murdering fellow police officer Claire Howarth, 31, with a hammer days before their wedding. | Martin Forshaw, 27, of Tottington, Bury, admitted murdering fellow police officer Claire Howarth, 31, with a hammer days before their wedding. |
Miss Howarth was found badly hurt in the driver's seat of her BMW on 7 May. | Miss Howarth was found badly hurt in the driver's seat of her BMW on 7 May. |
Forshaw had put her injured body into the car and caused it to crash, Manchester Crown Court was told. | Forshaw had put her injured body into the car and caused it to crash, Manchester Crown Court was told. |
The court heard Forshaw hit Miss Howarth at least five times with a lump hammer as they were preparing to fly to St Lucia for their wedding, which had been due to take place five days later. | The court heard Forshaw hit Miss Howarth at least five times with a lump hammer as they were preparing to fly to St Lucia for their wedding, which had been due to take place five days later. |
'Brutal killing' | |
After the attack at their home, he carried her downstairs and put her in the car before driving around secluded country lanes. | |
He then stopped the car, moved her into the driver's seat and sat in the passenger's seat while pressing the accelerator and deliberately crashing the vehicle into a hedge. | |
Prosecutor Ray Wigglesworth QC said the then Cheshire Police officer dialled 999 and reported the bogus accident. | Prosecutor Ray Wigglesworth QC said the then Cheshire Police officer dialled 999 and reported the bogus accident. |
At the scene, Forshaw told the emergency services his fiancee had not been wearing a seatbelt. | At the scene, Forshaw told the emergency services his fiancee had not been wearing a seatbelt. |
Pc Howarth was due to marry Martin Forshaw in St Lucia | Pc Howarth was due to marry Martin Forshaw in St Lucia |
The couple had been together for 10 months but there was evidence that Forshaw was also still seeing the mother of his four-year-old son. | |
Meanwhile he kept the impending wedding a secret from some of his colleagues. | Meanwhile he kept the impending wedding a secret from some of his colleagues. |
The court was told the Pc was "torn" over his feelings for the two women and told his fiancee the wedding was cancelled before he struck her with the mallet. | The court was told the Pc was "torn" over his feelings for the two women and told his fiancee the wedding was cancelled before he struck her with the mallet. |
Jailing him, Justice David Clarke called the murder "a brutal killing". | Jailing him, Justice David Clarke called the murder "a brutal killing". |
The judge added the ending of the relationship produced the "highest emotions" with "the results we can all see". | The judge added the ending of the relationship produced the "highest emotions" with "the results we can all see". |
Miss Howarth died at Royal Bolton Hospital. | Miss Howarth died at Royal Bolton Hospital. |
A post-mortem examination revealed she died as a result of "severe head trauma" and 14 separate injuries to her neck and head. | A post-mortem examination revealed she died as a result of "severe head trauma" and 14 separate injuries to her neck and head. |
When questioned, Forshaw said Miss Howarth had been attacking him with the mallet and she was hit as he tried to defend himself, but pathologists said this was "totally implausible". | |
Irene Howarth said her daughter would remain in her heart | |
She had been due to take up a position as a community beat manager in Rochdale after completing her probationary period. | She had been due to take up a position as a community beat manager in Rochdale after completing her probationary period. |
Forshaw, who was known at work by his middle name Alex, resigned from Cheshire Police when he was charged with Miss Howarth's murder. | Forshaw, who was known at work by his middle name Alex, resigned from Cheshire Police when he was charged with Miss Howarth's murder. |
The force described him as a "quiet and efficient officer". | The force described him as a "quiet and efficient officer". |
According to Cheshire Police his arrest was a "shock" to "those who knew and worked alongside him" because he had made no mention of problems in his private life. | According to Cheshire Police his arrest was a "shock" to "those who knew and worked alongside him" because he had made no mention of problems in his private life. |
He had joined in 2003 and was initially stationed at Macclesfield, before transferring to the operational support team at the force's headquarters in Winsford. | He had joined in 2003 and was initially stationed at Macclesfield, before transferring to the operational support team at the force's headquarters in Winsford. |
Senior investigating officer Andy Tattersall said: "It was such a poor attempt to make it look like a crash that both the police and the ambulance service were immediately suspicious, and the severity of Claire's head injuries meant they could not have been caused by such a minor crash." | Senior investigating officer Andy Tattersall said: "It was such a poor attempt to make it look like a crash that both the police and the ambulance service were immediately suspicious, and the severity of Claire's head injuries meant they could not have been caused by such a minor crash." |
Miss Howarth's mother Irene said: "The heartache is still very raw and painful for myself and my family to come to terms with Claire's horrific and meaningless death." | Miss Howarth's mother Irene said: "The heartache is still very raw and painful for myself and my family to come to terms with Claire's horrific and meaningless death." |