christopher may Sexual Homicide in Pontypridd

A man named Christopher May, described as a "cruel and callous" former butcher, has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder and dismemberment of Tracey Woodford, aged 47.

The victim's mutilated body was discovered at May's flat in Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taff, in April.

May was found guilty of murder at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday and was told he will serve a minimum of 28 years.

During the court proceedings, members of Ms.

Woodford's family expressed their heartbreak and grief, with her mother Linda saying she "felt like I was living in a nightmare" upon learning that her daughter's remains, which included her severed head, torso, and a thumb in her handbag, had been found and identified through fingerprints.

Her brother Sean added that he was "angry every day" and had trouble sleeping.

The prosecution presented evidence that her death was motivated by a "perverted sexual desire," with some remains found at May's residence, including her head in a storm drain, her torso in a cupboard, and her head displayed in a drain chamber.

May claimed he acted in self-defense or lost control, but the court found that he had strangled her in a calculated manner.

The judge branded May a "dangerous sexual predator" and highlighted the cruelty, callousness, and determination involved in the crime, including dismembering her body to hide the evidence, which was done to avoid detection.