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Catherine Wells-Burr murder: Killers jailed for life Catherine Wells-Burr murder: Killers jailed for life
(35 minutes later)
A factory worker found guilty of murdering his girlfriend in order to claim her six-figure life insurance policy has been jailed for life. A man who murdered his girlfriend to claim her six-figure life insurance policy has been jailed for life.
Rafal Nowak, 31, who smothered Catherine Wells-Burr, 23, as she slept at their home in Chard, Somerset, in September, was convicted last week. Rafal Nowak, 31, smothered Catherine Wells-Burr, 23, as she slept at their home in Chard, Somerset, in September.
At Bristol Crown Court, he was ordered to spend at least 32 years in prison.At Bristol Crown Court, he was ordered to spend at least 32 years in prison.
His accomplices, ex-girlfriend Anna Lagwinowicz, 32, and her uncle Tadevsz Dmytryszyn, 38, got the same sentence. His accomplices, ex-girlfriend Anna Lagwinowicz, 32, and her uncle Tadevsz Dmytryszyn, 38, got the same sentence. They disposed of Ms Wells-Burr's body in her car before setting it on fire.
All three were convicted of Ms Wells-Burr's murder on Friday. 'Dreadful, pitiless crime'
The three, all Polish nationals, were convicted of Ms Wells-Burr's murder on Friday.
The court heard she was killed for a £123,000 life insurance payout and a half-share of the £137,000 house she shared with Nowak, a factory worker.
Mrs Justice Sharp told the three that the murder was "a dreadful, pitiless crime committed in cold blood in gross breach of trust".
"Rafal Nowak, the images of you leading Catherine by the hand the evening before her death, buying items for what you knew was her last meal, are utterly chilling.
"Anna Lagwinowicz, your conduct has been deceitful, manipulative and cruel.
"You played your full part in this wicked crime. So did you Tadevsz Dmytryszyn."
Wept in witness box
Ms Wells-Burr's family wept as the sentences were passed.
After Nowak killed Ms Wells-Burr, Lagwinowicz and Dmytryszyn took her body from the house and drove it in her red Ford Focus to a countryside beauty spot at Ashill.
They placed the body in the driver's seat and set fire to the car 20 minutes after Nowak had clocked into work at Numatic International. The aim was to provide him with the perfect alibi.
The trial heard how Nowak and Lagwinowicz had met to plot the murder on up to 87 occasions and exchanged hundreds of phone calls on prepaid Sim cards.
They also spent months leaving a false trail for detectives, creating fake profiles for Ms Wells-Burr on adult websites and sending texts to her phone from a supposed mystery lover.
During the trial Nowak wept in the witness box as he insisted he played no part in the death of his "true love".