Killer jailed for at least 16 years (From Warrington Guardian)

Killer jailed for at least 16 years

10:57am Tuesday 22nd May 2012 in National News © Press Association 2013

A violent man who strangled his aspiring model girlfriend in a jealous rage has been told he will serve at least 16 years in jail.

Wealthy jeweller's son Elliot Turner, 20, was found guilty by a jury at Winchester Crown Court on Monday of murdering 17-year-old Emily Longley in his bed after going "absolutely nuts". The attack was the culmination of a month of anger and upset over his suspicions that she was "twisting his heart" by seeing other men.

He had claimed during the trial he acted in self-defence when Emily attacked him and he grabbed her by the throat for five or six seconds and he then woke up to find her dead in his bed in Bournemouth, Dorset, in May last year.

His parents, Leigh, 54, and Anita, 51, also face jail terms after being found guilty of helping to cover up the crime by destroying a confession letter from their son and taking away vital evidence after the killing at their home. They will be sentenced later after being convicted of perverting the course of justice after the five-week trial. Turner had admitted the same charge.

Emily's father, Mark Longley, called Turner evil and said he hoped he would suffer every day in prison for killing Emily, who had come over from New Zealand to study at college just eight months before her murder.

Turner had a history of obsession with women and soon showed signs of jealousy towards Emily after they met in December 2010. The short, volatile relationship quickly descended into violent arguments, with Turner threatening to kill his girlfriend on an almost daily basis.

The prosecution said Turner used a pillow to smother Emily and then strangled her after she went back to his house to talk things over following a violent argument that night.

Sentencing Turner, Mrs Justice Dobbs said: "In my judgment it's apparent you had been thinking of killing Emily and it was only a matter of time before it happened because it's clear she wanted to be free from you and you would not let that happen - if you could not have her no-one else would do.

"You bullied, harassed, threatened and assaulted her. You can put away thoughts of champagne, Bentleys and girls and concentrate on the reason you are serving a life sentence."

Mrs Justice Dobbs also sentenced Turner to nine months to run concurrently for perverting the course of justice. Speaking outside court, Mr Longley said he was satisfied with the outcome. "We are pleased he is not on the streets now. He's an incredibly dangerous person and we are relieved he cannot do this again."