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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
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| Pc given life for fiancee murder | Pc given life for fiancee murder |
| (10 minutes 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. | |
| 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. | |
| Forshaw had put her injured body into the car and caused it to crash, Manchester Crown Court had heard. | Forshaw had put her injured body into the car and caused it to crash, Manchester Crown Court had heard. |
| 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 then carried her downstairs at their home, put her into the driver's seat of the car and accelerated the vehicle into a hedge. | He then carried her downstairs at their home, put her into the driver's seat of the car and accelerated the vehicle into a hedge. |
| 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. |
| Miss Howarth's BMW was found crashed into a hedge near their home | Miss Howarth's BMW was found crashed into a hedge near their home |
| Prosecutor Ray Wigglesworth QC said the then Cheshire Police officer had driven around secluded country lanes in Bury before staging the bogus accident and dialling 999. | Prosecutor Ray Wigglesworth QC said the then Cheshire Police officer had driven around secluded country lanes in Bury before staging the bogus accident and dialling 999. |
| The couple has been together for 10 months but there was evidence that Forshaw was also still seeing the mother of his four-year-old son at the same time, added the QC. | The couple has been together for 10 months but there was evidence that Forshaw was also still seeing the mother of his four-year-old son at the same time, added the QC. |
| Meanwhile he had kept the impending wedding a secret from some of his colleagues. | Meanwhile he had kept the impending wedding a secret from some of his colleagues. |
| Detectives cordoned off the pair's home after Miss Howarth's silver BMW left the road. | Detectives cordoned off the pair's home after Miss Howarth's silver BMW left the road. |
| 'Totally implausible' | 'Totally implausible' |
| She died at Royal Bolton Hospital. | She died at Royal Bolton Hospital. |
| A post-mortem examination revealed Miss Howarth died as a result of "severe head trauma" and 14 separate injuries to her neck and head. | A post-mortem examination revealed Miss Howarth 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 hit as he tried to defend himself from her attacking him with the mallet, but pathologists said it was "totally implausible." | When questioned Forshaw said Miss Howarth had been hit as he tried to defend himself from her attacking him with the mallet, but pathologists said it was "totally implausible." |
| 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. |
| 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. |