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| EastEnders actor Gemma McCluskie's brother jailed for her murder | EastEnders actor Gemma McCluskie's brother jailed for her murder |
| (4 months later) | |
| The brother of the former EastEnders actor Gemma McCluskie, whose mutilated remains were found in a London canal, has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 20 years after being convicted of her murder. | The brother of the former EastEnders actor Gemma McCluskie, whose mutilated remains were found in a London canal, has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 20 years after being convicted of her murder. |
| Tony McCluskie, 36, a window cleaner who was "hopelessly addicted" to skunk cannabis, had admitted manslaughter but denied murder, claiming he had lost control during a row with his sister and had no memory of having killed her. | Tony McCluskie, 36, a window cleaner who was "hopelessly addicted" to skunk cannabis, had admitted manslaughter but denied murder, claiming he had lost control during a row with his sister and had no memory of having killed her. |
| He hit his 29-year-old sister over the head at least twice and hacked her body into six pieces before throwing her into the Regent's canal in east London, the Old Bailey trial heard. | He hit his 29-year-old sister over the head at least twice and hacked her body into six pieces before throwing her into the Regent's canal in east London, the Old Bailey trial heard. |
| He stood showing no emotion in the dock as the jury found him guilty of murder by a majority of 11-1. | He stood showing no emotion in the dock as the jury found him guilty of murder by a majority of 11-1. |
| The prosecution said he had killed his sister after she lost patience with him and asked him to leave the flat they shared in Shoreditch, east London, after he left taps running and a sink overflowed in March last year. | The prosecution said he had killed his sister after she lost patience with him and asked him to leave the flat they shared in Shoreditch, east London, after he left taps running and a sink overflowed in March last year. |
| After chopping up her body, he lugged a heavy suitcase to a local cab firm and was last seen taking it towards the canal. | After chopping up her body, he lugged a heavy suitcase to a local cab firm and was last seen taking it towards the canal. |
| After the verdict, the siblings' father, Anthony McCluskie, said: "I know that my son, Tony Junior, is suffering too. I will not desert him even though he has committed this terrible crime and taken Gemma's life. I hope and pray that one day Tony will be released from prison with a better understanding of his actions." | After the verdict, the siblings' father, Anthony McCluskie, said: "I know that my son, Tony Junior, is suffering too. I will not desert him even though he has committed this terrible crime and taken Gemma's life. I hope and pray that one day Tony will be released from prison with a better understanding of his actions." |
| The torso of the actor, who played Kerry Skinner in the BBC soap in 2001, was found in the canal a week after her murder when the suitcase snapped open. Her limbs were found in black plastic bags the following week but her head was missing until six months later when it, too, was discovered in the water. | The torso of the actor, who played Kerry Skinner in the BBC soap in 2001, was found in the canal a week after her murder when the suitcase snapped open. Her limbs were found in black plastic bags the following week but her head was missing until six months later when it, too, was discovered in the water. |
| McCluskie sent texts to her as if she was still alive after killing her, and eventually reported her missing. He then joined friends who launched extensive searches in the area to find her. | McCluskie sent texts to her as if she was still alive after killing her, and eventually reported her missing. He then joined friends who launched extensive searches in the area to find her. |
| Crispin Aylett QC, prosecuting, said tension had existed between the siblings for some time. He said: "Gemma told a friend: 'He's permanently stoned. He puts a spliff in his mouth first thing in the morning and doesn't know what he's doing.'" | Crispin Aylett QC, prosecuting, said tension had existed between the siblings for some time. He said: "Gemma told a friend: 'He's permanently stoned. He puts a spliff in his mouth first thing in the morning and doesn't know what he's doing.'" |
| The actor had regarded the taps incident as "the last straw" and wanted her brother to move out, he said. Friends had heard her arguing on the phone with him about what had happened. | The actor had regarded the taps incident as "the last straw" and wanted her brother to move out, he said. Friends had heard her arguing on the phone with him about what had happened. |
| McCluskie had told police his sister was seen in a local kebab shop after she went missing, and also that she had visited their mother, who was seriously ill in hospital. | McCluskie had told police his sister was seen in a local kebab shop after she went missing, and also that she had visited their mother, who was seriously ill in hospital. |
| After his sister's disappearance, McCluskie received a series of hoax calls demanding ransom money. Police later traced the calls to Kent and arrested a man. Aylett said McCluskie "could not have believed his luck" because those calls "added to state of confusion" as to her whereabouts. | After his sister's disappearance, McCluskie received a series of hoax calls demanding ransom money. Police later traced the calls to Kent and arrested a man. Aylett said McCluskie "could not have believed his luck" because those calls "added to state of confusion" as to her whereabouts. |
| Scientists found blood in the bathroom and a bloodstained knife in the kitchen of the flat. | Scientists found blood in the bathroom and a bloodstained knife in the kitchen of the flat. |
| McCluskie claimed the last thing he remembered was his sister coming at him with a knife. "All I remember is just grabbing her wrists. After that I have no recollection," he told the court. | McCluskie claimed the last thing he remembered was his sister coming at him with a knife. "All I remember is just grabbing her wrists. After that I have no recollection," he told the court. |
| Sentencing him, the judge, Mr Justice Fulford, said Gemma had been a warm-hearted young woman with a huge zest for life. McCluskie had set about "in an utterly cold-blooded and determined way" to try to hide what he had done and had sought to point the finger of blame at others, the judge said. He had also acted in an "appalling" way after the murder and had made "a sustained attempt to destroy at least part" of his sister's reputation. | Sentencing him, the judge, Mr Justice Fulford, said Gemma had been a warm-hearted young woman with a huge zest for life. McCluskie had set about "in an utterly cold-blooded and determined way" to try to hide what he had done and had sought to point the finger of blame at others, the judge said. He had also acted in an "appalling" way after the murder and had made "a sustained attempt to destroy at least part" of his sister's reputation. |
| Alison Saunders, London's chief crown prosecutor, said the case was an extremely distressing and violent one. "McCluskie used all means possible to divert suspicion away from himself, giving false hope to family and friends," she said. | Alison Saunders, London's chief crown prosecutor, said the case was an extremely distressing and violent one. "McCluskie used all means possible to divert suspicion away from himself, giving false hope to family and friends," she said. |
| The strong case against him had ed him to admit unlawfully killing his sister, saying it was "not intentional and that he had lost control". But the prosecution felt "the evidence of brutality showed a deliberate intent to cause death or serious bodily harm", which amounted to murder. | The strong case against him had ed him to admit unlawfully killing his sister, saying it was "not intentional and that he had lost control". But the prosecution felt "the evidence of brutality showed a deliberate intent to cause death or serious bodily harm", which amounted to murder. |
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