Killer of Catherine Gowing will serve at least 37 years in jail

on 25/02/2013 12:17:30

The man who murdered Irish vet Catherine Gowing will serve a minimum of 37 years in jail, a judge ruled today.

Ms Gowing's body has never been fully recovered, although remains were found at two rural locations near her home in Flintshire, North Wales, and near Chester.

Clive Sharp (aged 47) of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to her murder at Mold Crown Court last month.

Today, Mr Justice Griffith Williams jailed Sharp for life and ordered that he serve a minimum 37 years behind bars before he can be considered for parole.

The vet's disappearance in Flintshire last October sparked North Wales Police's largest ever search operation.

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Griffith Williams told Sharp: "This is a horrific, cold hearted murder, carried out to gratify your perverted sexual desires."

Sharp, dressed in grey jogging bottoms and a grey jumper, made no reaction but the victim's sister, Emma, sat in the public gallery just yards from the dock, did not take her eyes off the defendant throughout the 50-minute hearing.

The court heard Sharp had a string of previous convictions for sexual offences, beginning when he was just 16 and he harboured perverted sexual fantasies involving the gagging, raping and murdering of women - which he acted out on Miss Gowing.

Just hours before the murder he left another woman tied to a bed after she refused to take part in perverted sexual acts, Mold Crown Court heard.