Manchester - A middle-aged man who gouged out the eyes of his teenage girlfriend and subjected her to four weeks of torture before drowning her was jailed for life for murder yesterday. James Smith (49) had denied killing Kelly Anne Bates (17) after inflicting 150 wounds on her body while holding her prisoner at his home.
At the end of the seven-day trial at Manchester Crown Court, Mr Justice Sachs said Smith should serve a minimum of 20 years.