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Pc given life for fiancee murder Pc given life for fiancee murder
(about 2 hours 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 and 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. He hit Miss Howarth - a serving officer with Greater Manchester Police - at least five times with a lump hammer.
The attack happened as the couple were preparing to fly to St Lucia for their wedding, which had been due to take place five days later.
On the night of her murder Miss Howarth had sent her friend a text message, saying how happy she was.
But less than 30 minutes later she had been beaten around the head, the court heard.
After the attack at their home, Forshaw, then a serving officer with Cheshire Police, carried Miss Howarth downstairs and put her in the car before driving around secluded country lanes.
'Brutal killing''Brutal killing'
After the attack at their home, he carried her downstairs and put her in the car before driving around secluded country lanes. At one point he stopped off at a house in Harwood to seek assistance.
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. However, he did not make it to the front door as he struggled to carry her and placed her on the driveway.
Prosecutor Ray Wigglesworth QC said the then Cheshire Police officer dialled 999 and reported the bogus accident. "Realising she was mortally wounded and was dying, he at that stage returned to the vehicle, brought back the hammer and struck her twice," Peter Wright, defending, told the court.
"He wanted to put her out of her her pain," he added.
Shortly after driving off, Forshaw stopped the car again, moved his fiancee into the driver's seat and sat in the passenger's seat while pressing the accelerator to deliberately crash the vehicle into a hedge.
Prosecutor Ray Wigglesworth QC said Forshaw then 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 LuciaPc 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. The couple had been together for 10 months but there was evidence that Forshaw was 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 hammer.
Jailing him, Justice David Clarke called the murder "a brutal killing". Describing it as an "absolute tragedy" Forshaw "panicked" as he carried his fiancee to the car and put the hammer in the boot, Mr Wright said.
The judge added the ending of the relationship produced the "highest emotions" with "the results we can all see". "He ought to have driven immediately to the hospital. He did not.
Miss Howarth died at Royal Bolton Hospital. "It unfolded over a relatively short period of time, involving a man who had not previously showed violent tendencies and had a position of responsibility."
A post-mortem examination revealed she died as a result of "severe head trauma" and 14 separate injuries to her neck and head. 'Immediately suspicious'
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". Describing the murder as "a brutal killing", Justice David Clarke jailed Forshaw for life.
The judge added the ending of the relationship had produced the "highest emotions" with "the results we can all see".
Miss Howarth died at Royal Bolton Hospital, where a post-mortem examination revealed she had suffered "severe head trauma" and 14 separate injuries to her neck and head.
When questioned, Forshaw said Miss Howarth had been attacking him with the hammer and she was hit as he tried to defend himself.
However pathologists said this was "totally implausible".
Irene Howarth said her daughter would remain in her heartIrene 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. Miss Howarth had been due to take up a position as a police 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.
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."