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Gemma Simpson death: Martin Bell jailed for 11 years | Gemma Simpson death: Martin Bell jailed for 11 years |
(35 minutes later) | |
A killer who bludgeoned and stabbed a woman to death, then kept the location of her remains secret for 14 years, has been jailed. | A killer who bludgeoned and stabbed a woman to death, then kept the location of her remains secret for 14 years, has been jailed. |
Martin Bell, 45, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Gemma Simpson, on the grounds of diminished responsibility. | Martin Bell, 45, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Gemma Simpson, on the grounds of diminished responsibility. |
Before attacking Miss Simpson, 23, in May 2000 he told her God wanted him to kill her. Her body was found at Brimham Rocks, North Yorkshire, last August. | Before attacking Miss Simpson, 23, in May 2000 he told her God wanted him to kill her. Her body was found at Brimham Rocks, North Yorkshire, last August. |
A judge at Leeds Crown Court ordered Bell to serve a minimum of 12 years. | |
Body in bath | |
The court heard Bell, of St Leonard's Crescent, Scarborough, and Miss Simpson, from Leeds, had known each other for five years. | The court heard Bell, of St Leonard's Crescent, Scarborough, and Miss Simpson, from Leeds, had known each other for five years. |
After they smoked cannabis together Bell had told Miss Simpson: "God wants me to kill you", the court heard. | After they smoked cannabis together Bell had told Miss Simpson: "God wants me to kill you", the court heard. |
He then struck her repeatedly with a hammer and stabbed her before leaving her body in a bath for several days, prosecutors said. | He then struck her repeatedly with a hammer and stabbed her before leaving her body in a bath for several days, prosecutors said. |
Leeds Crown Court heard Bell dismembered the body before burying her at the beauty spot | |
Bell was told he must serve a minimum of 12 years in prison, but this was reduced to 11 years and 205 days because of the time he had been in custody. | |
The killer was arrested in July after he walked into a police station in Scarborough and confessed to killing Miss Simpson before telling officers where he had buried her body. | |
On Friday Judge Peter Collier QC said: "The killing of Gemma Simpson was brutal. Your treatment of her body after death was dreadful. | |
"But your culpability was considerably diminished by your mental illness." |