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Man gets life for woman's murder | |
(31 minutes later) | |
A former Foreign Legionnaire has been jailed for life for stabbing a woman to death and injuring her husband, after they had treated him like a son. | A former Foreign Legionnaire has been jailed for life for stabbing a woman to death and injuring her husband, after they had treated him like a son. |
Stuart Forsyth, of Stepney, east London, pleaded guilty to 62-year-old Miriam Baldock's murder and attempted murder of her husband Maurice, 61. | Stuart Forsyth, of Stepney, east London, pleaded guilty to 62-year-old Miriam Baldock's murder and attempted murder of her husband Maurice, 61. |
The Old Bailey heard that Forsyth, 41, attacked the couple in their home in Camden, north London, on 11 August. | |
The unemployed train driver was ordered to serve a minimum term of 19 years. | The unemployed train driver was ordered to serve a minimum term of 19 years. |
Following the sentencing, Mr Baldock shouted to Forsyth: "You're a coward, Stuart." | Following the sentencing, Mr Baldock shouted to Forsyth: "You're a coward, Stuart." |
Judge Martin Stephens said: "Nothing can begin to excuse or explain the enormity of your actions." | Judge Martin Stephens said: "Nothing can begin to excuse or explain the enormity of your actions." |
'Sincere contrition' | |
During the trial, the court heard the couple were introduced to Forsyth, who had just left the French Foreign Legion, by Mrs Baldock's brother in the early 1990s. | During the trial, the court heard the couple were introduced to Forsyth, who had just left the French Foreign Legion, by Mrs Baldock's brother in the early 1990s. |
They took him in and he "became like a son" and even called the couple "mum and dad", and later his children referred to them as "grandparents". | They took him in and he "became like a son" and even called the couple "mum and dad", and later his children referred to them as "grandparents". |
The couple had fallen out with Forsyth, originally from Blantyre, Lanarkshire, in a row over the children. | The couple had fallen out with Forsyth, originally from Blantyre, Lanarkshire, in a row over the children. |
Miriam Baldock was killed but her husband, Maurice, survived | |
The court heard that Forsyth had been drinking and taking drugs before the attack. | The court heard that Forsyth had been drinking and taking drugs before the attack. |
He then let himself into the couple's house through the back door and stabbed each of them three times. | He then let himself into the couple's house through the back door and stabbed each of them three times. |
Sentencing Forsyth, Judge Stephens said: "For many years Miriam and Maurice Baldock treated you as their own son. | Sentencing Forsyth, Judge Stephens said: "For many years Miriam and Maurice Baldock treated you as their own son. |
"They gave you nothing but kindness and support and when, in due course, you had children of your own, they treated them as their own grandchildren." | "They gave you nothing but kindness and support and when, in due course, you had children of your own, they treated them as their own grandchildren." |
In a victim impact statement read out in court on Thursday, Mr Baldock said: "I hope he suffers every day, the way we suffer as a family." | In a victim impact statement read out in court on Thursday, Mr Baldock said: "I hope he suffers every day, the way we suffer as a family." |
Psychiatrists who examined Forsyth found he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder at the time of the attack, defence counsel Tom Forster said. | |
Mr Forster added that Forsyth felt "sincere contrition and remorse". |
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