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Peterborough ex-wife murder: Rimas Venclovas gets life sentence | Peterborough ex-wife murder: Rimas Venclovas gets life sentence |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A man who kidnapped and murdered his ex-wife in the UK before taking her body to Poland to bury it, has been jailed for life. | A man who kidnapped and murdered his ex-wife in the UK before taking her body to Poland to bury it, has been jailed for life. |
Vitalija Baliutaviciene, 29, had come to Peterborough only to escape the "obsessed" and "jealous" Rimas Venclovas, the Old Bailey heard. | Vitalija Baliutaviciene, 29, had come to Peterborough only to escape the "obsessed" and "jealous" Rimas Venclovas, the Old Bailey heard. |
Venclovas, 47, abducted her in August 2011. Her body was found in a shallow grave two months later. | Venclovas, 47, abducted her in August 2011. Her body was found in a shallow grave two months later. |
He had denied kidnap and murder and will serve a minimum of 20 years. | He had denied kidnap and murder and will serve a minimum of 20 years. |
Miss Baliutaviciene was last seen on CCTV being abducted on her way to work in Peterborough, at 05:15 BST on 12 August last year. | Miss Baliutaviciene was last seen on CCTV being abducted on her way to work in Peterborough, at 05:15 BST on 12 August last year. |
'Carefully-executed murder' | 'Carefully-executed murder' |
At about 11:50 BST, Venclovas's van was caught on CCTV boarding a ferry at Dover. | At about 11:50 BST, Venclovas's van was caught on CCTV boarding a ferry at Dover. |
Lithuania-born Miss Baliutaviciene's naked body was found in a field in western Poland on 30 October last year, but it took a further four months for it to be formally identified. | |
The court heard Venclovas had twice been arrested by police in Peterborough for attacking her. | |
However, after being granted bail he absconded to his native Lithuania each time, before returning to the city. | However, after being granted bail he absconded to his native Lithuania each time, before returning to the city. |
During the trial, he said he and Miss Baliutaviciene had been "getting on well" at the time he kidnapped and murdered her. | During the trial, he said he and Miss Baliutaviciene had been "getting on well" at the time he kidnapped and murdered her. |
He said: "I never threatened her." | He said: "I never threatened her." |
As he passed sentence, Mr Justice Fulford said: "This was a coldly and carefully-executed murder." | As he passed sentence, Mr Justice Fulford said: "This was a coldly and carefully-executed murder." |
'Evil man' | 'Evil man' |
The judge said he had no doubt Venclovas did not kill Miss Baliutaviciene immediately but tortured her by holding her throat and "keeping her between life and death". | |
Miss Baliutaviciene's mother, Vanda Cerneckaite, 64, and her brother, Audrius Sreberis, 30, said in a statement: "For six months after she disappeared we had to live with the anguish of not knowing what had happened to her. | |
"Our lives stopped the day she disappeared and they will never be the same again. | |
"Rimas is an evil man who went to great lengths in order to kidnap and kill our beloved Vitalija. | "Rimas is an evil man who went to great lengths in order to kidnap and kill our beloved Vitalija. |
"Her son clung to the glimmer of hope that she was still alive and would come back to him. | "Her son clung to the glimmer of hope that she was still alive and would come back to him. |
"Rimas had the power to end that pain and uncertainty and allow his own son to start to grieve. | "Rimas had the power to end that pain and uncertainty and allow his own son to start to grieve. |
"He selfishly chose not to do so however, and has continued to prolong that suffering through his lies and denial as he sought to save his own skin. | "He selfishly chose not to do so however, and has continued to prolong that suffering through his lies and denial as he sought to save his own skin. |
"There can be no justification for the level of violence he used against such a kind and gentle woman who posed no threat to him." | "There can be no justification for the level of violence he used against such a kind and gentle woman who posed no threat to him." |