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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Father guilty of murdering family | Father guilty of murdering family |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A man has been found guilty of murdering four members of his family, including his two young children, in Newcastle. | A man has been found guilty of murdering four members of his family, including his two young children, in Newcastle. |
| Neil Crampton had admitted stabbing his ex-partner Funke Sobo, 36, his daughter Abigail, 12, son Steven, 5, and their uncle Yemi Sobo, 41, in November 2006. | Neil Crampton had admitted stabbing his ex-partner Funke Sobo, 36, his daughter Abigail, 12, son Steven, 5, and their uncle Yemi Sobo, 41, in November 2006. |
| However, Crampton, 36, of Gateshead, had denied murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility. | However, Crampton, 36, of Gateshead, had denied murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility. |
| It took a jury five hours to convict. He must serve a minimum of 35 years. | It took a jury five hours to convict. He must serve a minimum of 35 years. |
| Newcastle Crown Court heard Crampton could not come to terms with the fact his on-off relationship with Funke Sobo was ending. | Newcastle Crown Court heard Crampton could not come to terms with the fact his on-off relationship with Funke Sobo was ending. |
| It heard how police had been alerted by a 999 call made by Crampton, in which he confessed: "I've murdered my entire family." | It heard how police had been alerted by a 999 call made by Crampton, in which he confessed: "I've murdered my entire family." |
| Ms Sobo and the children shared her mother Otomunde Sobo's semi-detached home in Hawthorn Gardens, Kenton, Newcastle, where the murders took place. | |
| 'Utmost savagery' | |
| Crampton struck at the house on the night before Mrs Sobo was returning from a holiday in her native Nigeria. | |
| This may also have been a trigger for the murders, as he realised a reconciliation was even less likely when she came home, the trial was told. | This may also have been a trigger for the murders, as he realised a reconciliation was even less likely when she came home, the trial was told. |
| Jailing him Mr Justice Wilkie said: "These were killings of the utmost savagery. | |
| "I am satisfied you were fully responsible for your actions. | |
| "You snuffed out the life of a young woman of whom no one, bar you, had a bad word to say about. | |
| "She was plainly a delightful, bubbly person, a good mother and generous to you in her attempt to persuade you to be a worthy father to your children. | |
| "The reason for these murders is none other than your pathetic sense of rage when she finally persuaded you that your relationship had no future." | |
| 'Evil man' | |
| Mrs Sobo, 75, who now only has her oldest son Yinka, said the two-year wait for the trial had been painful. | |
| She said: "I did not believe it would take two years to reach a conclusion at court. | |
| "The wait has been the longest, most painful period of my life. | |
| "The family has not yet woken from this awful nightmare which has become a reality due to the actions of an evil man." | |
| Kingsley Hyland, of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) North East, said: "We applaud the courage and patience of the relatives of the deceased who have had to endure what must have seemed like an interminable delay in this case reaching its conclusion." |