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| Judith Richardson murder: Graeme Jarman jailed for life | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A man who bludgeoned a 77-year-old to death after tricking his way into her home has been jailed for life. | A man who bludgeoned a 77-year-old to death after tricking his way into her home has been jailed for life. |
| Graeme Jarman, 48, from Consett, County Durham, had denied murdering Judith Richardson in her flat in Hexham, Northumberland in August 2011. | Graeme Jarman, 48, from Consett, County Durham, had denied murdering Judith Richardson in her flat in Hexham, Northumberland in August 2011. |
| Miss Richardson was hit repeatedly with a hammer and lay dying as her home was ransacked, Newcastle Crown Court heard. | Miss Richardson was hit repeatedly with a hammer and lay dying as her home was ransacked, Newcastle Crown Court heard. |
| Jarman, who has a string of previous serious convictions, was sentenced to a minimum term of 35 years. | Jarman, who has a string of previous serious convictions, was sentenced to a minimum term of 35 years. |
| The jury at his murder trial were not told he had already served jail terms for offences including rape, kidnap, sexual assault and robbery | |
| More than 20 years ago, he had locked a teenage girl in his car boot, raping her at gunpoint and saying to her: "I am your everyday psychopath." | |
| 'Potential victims' | 'Potential victims' |
| During the three-week murder trial, the jury was shown CCTV of Jarman wandering round Hexham, which appeared to show him talking to elderly residents. | |
| The prosecution claimed he was "observing potential victims". | The prosecution claimed he was "observing potential victims". |
| Miss Richardson was hit more than 30 times with a hammer and, after stealing her handbag and jewellery, Jarman repeatedly struck her again, fracturing her skull. | |
| He then fled, taking buses to different towns where he bought clothes and shaved his head. | He then fled, taking buses to different towns where he bought clothes and shaved his head. |
| He arrived in Newcastle and threw her handbag in a bin before selling her jewellery for £300 at scrap value. | He arrived in Newcastle and threw her handbag in a bin before selling her jewellery for £300 at scrap value. |
| A member of the public found her bag, alerted police and officers responding to a simple lost property case discovered her body, sparking a major manhunt. | |
| 'Brutal attack' | |
| Jarman was arrested in Filey, North Yorkshire, a fortnight later. | |
| Det Ch Insp Paul Young, who led the investigation, said: "This was a brutal attack on an elderly woman, motivated pure and simply by greed and cruelty. | |
| "This conviction means a dangerous and violent man has been apprehended and taken off our streets." | |
| A statement on behalf of Miss Richardson's family said: "We have not looked for support from people but it has been provided to us and we are incredibly grateful. | |
| "The community in and around Hexham have been invaluable." | |
| Jarman was found guilty by an 11 to one majority. | Jarman was found guilty by an 11 to one majority. |