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| EastEnders' Gemma McCluskie murder: Brother guilty | EastEnders' Gemma McCluskie murder: Brother guilty |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The brother of former EastEnders actress Gemma McCluskie has been found guilty of her murder and told he will serve at least 20 years in jail. | The brother of former EastEnders actress Gemma McCluskie has been found guilty of her murder and told he will serve at least 20 years in jail. |
| Tony McCluskie, 35, of Shoreditch, east London, had admitted manslaughter at the Old Bailey but denied her murder. | Tony McCluskie, 35, of Shoreditch, east London, had admitted manslaughter at the Old Bailey but denied her murder. |
| Miss McCluskie's torso was found in Regent's Canal, Hackney, last March. Other body parts were found later. | Miss McCluskie's torso was found in Regent's Canal, Hackney, last March. Other body parts were found later. |
| The 29-year-old actress played Kerry Skinner, Ethel Skinner's great-niece, in the BBC soap in 2000 and 2001. | |
| Hacked into pieces | Hacked into pieces |
| McCluskie was found guilty by an 11-1 majority and given a life sentence. | McCluskie was found guilty by an 11-1 majority and given a life sentence. |
| Miss McCluskie's mutilated body was found floating in the canal in east London on 6 March last year. | Miss McCluskie's mutilated body was found floating in the canal in east London on 6 March last year. |
| She was killed by being hit over the head at least twice and her body was hacked into six pieces using a cleaver and a knife. | She was killed by being hit over the head at least twice and her body was hacked into six pieces using a cleaver and a knife. |
| McCluskie, a 36-year-old window cleaner and skunk cannabis smoker, claimed to have lost control after a tirade of abuse from his sister. | McCluskie, a 36-year-old window cleaner and skunk cannabis smoker, claimed to have lost control after a tirade of abuse from his sister. |
| He said the last thing he remembered was her coming at him with a knife. | He said the last thing he remembered was her coming at him with a knife. |
| But the prosecution said he killed his sister after she lost patience with him and asked him to leave the flat in Pelter Street, Shoreditch, where they lived. | But the prosecution said he killed his sister after she lost patience with him and asked him to leave the flat in Pelter Street, Shoreditch, where they lived. |
| The final straw came when McCluskie left taps running and a sink overflowed in March last year, the jury heard. | The final straw came when McCluskie left taps running and a sink overflowed in March last year, the jury heard. |
| The Old Bailey heard that on 2 March McCluskie lugged a heavy suitcase to a local cab firm and was seen taking it towards the canal. | The Old Bailey heard that on 2 March McCluskie lugged a heavy suitcase to a local cab firm and was seen taking it towards the canal. |
| When the cab driver asked what was in his bag the defendant said it was a sound system. | |
| 'Warm-hearted' | 'Warm-hearted' |
| Miss McCluskie's torso was found a week later when the case snapped open, and her limbs were found in plastic bags a week later. | Miss McCluskie's torso was found a week later when the case snapped open, and her limbs were found in plastic bags a week later. |
| But her head was not found until six months later when it too was discovered in the water. | But her head was not found until six months later when it too was discovered in the water. |
| Her former co-stars Natalie Cassidy and Brooke Kinsella, had appealed for help on Twitter to find her. | Her former co-stars Natalie Cassidy and Brooke Kinsella, had appealed for help on Twitter to find her. |
| Ms Kinsella tweeted: "Thinking of you Gemma. I am so so sorry. Despair of the world we live in sometimes. RIP darling xxx". | Ms Kinsella tweeted: "Thinking of you Gemma. I am so so sorry. Despair of the world we live in sometimes. RIP darling xxx". |
| Mr Justice Fulford told McCluskie: "I have no doubt that you killed your sister because she was furious with you for letting a sink overflow in the bathroom. | Mr Justice Fulford told McCluskie: "I have no doubt that you killed your sister because she was furious with you for letting a sink overflow in the bathroom. |
| "I unhesitatingly reject your account that she had used bad language towards you or that she had belittled you in the past. | "I unhesitatingly reject your account that she had used bad language towards you or that she had belittled you in the past. |
| "She was a warm-hearted woman who was loved by a great many people." | "She was a warm-hearted woman who was loved by a great many people." |
| He said McCluskie had set about "in a cold-blooded way" to conceal what he had done. | He said McCluskie had set about "in a cold-blooded way" to conceal what he had done. |
| "Your hope must have been that she would never be found," the judge added. | "Your hope must have been that she would never be found," the judge added. |
| 'Zest for life' | 'Zest for life' |
| Speaking outside the court, Anthony McCluskie, the siblings' father, said it had been an "extremely traumatic" time for the family and his daughter's friends. | Speaking outside the court, Anthony McCluskie, the siblings' father, said it had been an "extremely traumatic" time for the family and his daughter's friends. |
| He said his daughter was known as Gem Star or Little Gem to some of her friends. | |
| "Small in stature, she was huge in personality with a zest for life," he said. | |
| He said his daughter was "very much loved" and "greatly missed". | He said his daughter was "very much loved" and "greatly missed". |
| "Good night and God bless Gemma," he said. | "Good night and God bless Gemma," he said. |
| "We all miss you and love you." | "We all miss you and love you." |
| Gemma McCluskie appeared in more than 30 episodes of EastEnders as Kerry Skinner, the great-niece of long-term character Ethel Skinner. | Gemma McCluskie appeared in more than 30 episodes of EastEnders as Kerry Skinner, the great-niece of long-term character Ethel Skinner. |
| Kerry was a close friend of Zoe Slater and dated Robbie Jackson, who proposed to her. The character left Albert Square when her holiday fling with another boy was revealed. | Kerry was a close friend of Zoe Slater and dated Robbie Jackson, who proposed to her. The character left Albert Square when her holiday fling with another boy was revealed. |
| Most recently Miss McCluskie had worked in two pubs in Shoreditch. | Most recently Miss McCluskie had worked in two pubs in Shoreditch. |