This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/hampshire/10342853.stm

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Lover jailed for car boot murder Lover jailed for car boot murder
(40 minutes later)
Paula Poolton had been stabbed seven times Paula Poolton was stabbed seven times
A man has been jailed for life for murdering his lover and hiding her body in the boot of her car in Hampshire. A man has been jailed for at least 15 years for killing his lover and hiding her body in the boot of her car.
The body of Paula Poolton, 40, of Titchfield, Fareham, was found near Swanwick railway station on 28 October 2008, 11 days after she went missing. Paula Poolton, 40, of Titchfield, Fareham, was found near Swanwick rail station, Hampshire, on 28 October 2008, 11 days after she went missing.
Roger Kearney, 57, was found guilty at Winchester Crown Court on 11 June. He was jailed for life with a minimum of 15 years at the High Court. Roger Kearney, 57, of Sarisbury Green, was convicted at Winchester Crown Court on 11 June. He was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 15 years.
The court had heard the pair were having an affair in the summer of 2008. The court heard the pair had been having an affair in the summer of 2008.
'False alibi'
They had worked together as stewards at Southampton Football Club but Mrs Poolton's husband and Kearney's partner were unaware of the affair.
The court was told how Kearney stabbed her to death when she started putting pressure on him to leave his partner and then fabricated an alibi to cover his tracks.
Roger Kearney also lied to police about his whereabouts
Prosecuting, Nicholas Haggan QC said that Mrs Poolton had told friends she wanted to leave her husband Richard but Kearney was in fact "tiring" of the relationship.
Mr Haggan said on the day she disappeared Mrs Poolton told her friend Carol Bertie she had been looking for a house to buy to move in with Kearney and was meeting him that night.
The jury was told she was prone to going on "benders" and her husband did not raise the alarm until a few days after she failed to return home on 17 October.
Police soon found out about the affair and questioned Kearney as a witness.
Mr Haggan said that significantly he referred to his lover in the past tense on several occasions.
Mrs Poolton used to be a steward at Southampton Football Club
The Royal Mail driver also lied about his whereabouts during a crucial hour after Mrs Poolton's Peugeot was last seen on CCTV.
Kearney said he had left for a night shift at 2200 BST for the 15-minute drive to work when CCTV footage showed he left home at 2131 BST. He also lied about the route.
When he got home after work he washed all his clothing including his fluorescent jacket, jurors were told.
The prosecution said there was no forensic evidence to link Kearney, or anybody else, to the murder and nobody saw the accused kill Mrs Poolton.