Man sentenced to life in prison for killing ex-partner who vanished without trace leaving a pub more than a decade ago
- 4 months ago
The family of a woman who vanished without trace more than a decade ago said they are desperate to know where her remains were dumped - after her killer was sentenced for her murder.
Darren Osment, 41, was give a life sentence today (Wed) and told he would serve a minimum of 20 years for killing mother-of-four Claire Holland.
She was last seen leaving a pub in Bristol at the time of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and, despite a number of high-profile appeals and campaigns over the years, no trace of her has ever been found.
Bristol Crown Court heard he murdered Claire and made multiple confessions that he did it - including to an undercover police officer - because their child was taken into care.
She was 32 at the time and had said she had planned to meet with Osment on the night of 6 June 2012 after a drinking session at the Seamus O'Donnell pub.
He was found guilty of murder after a trial and was today (Wed) described by a judge as a "vile" selfish killer who prolonged the family's agony for 11 years by a judge.
Claire's family told the court they have never been able to properly grieve as her killer has never admitted what he did with her body.
And sentencing him, the Honorable Mrs Justice Cutts told him: "You robbed her of the future she deserved.
"You took her from her children. You have made her suffering so much worse by the way you have behaved since her death.
"For 11 long years no-one except you knew what happened to Claire.
"There was an extensive police missing person investigation that failed to find her.
"You could and should have told police what happened. You should and could have admitted you killed Claire. They were left with the agony of not knowing where she was or what happened.
"You left the family in limbo.
"Yet it was clear you could not live with the burden of what you had done.
"I accept you were haunted by it and to relive that you made confessions - to six people in all. Had you truly been remorseful you would have told the police and faced the consequences of your crime.
"You thought only of yourself."
The judge said after a difficult early life at the time of her death Claire was starting a "new chapter in her life" and was "rightly proud of herself.
She added: "It is clear from the deeply moving impact statements that she was a warm and vivacious person who was deeply loved.
"She had high hopes she would in time be able to have her children live with her.
"She was happy and optimistic about the future.
"A fresh start was ahead of her - you robbed her of that fresh start - you robbed her of the future she deserved."
The judge told him: "You were, in the words of your mother, a vile drunk and abusive and violent to women. Claire was on the receiving end of that violence."
In her remarks, the judge also rejected his claim on one of his confessions that he hired someone to kill her.
Darren Osment, 41, was give a life sentence today (Wed) and told he would serve a minimum of 20 years for killing mother-of-four Claire Holland.
She was last seen leaving a pub in Bristol at the time of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and, despite a number of high-profile appeals and campaigns over the years, no trace of her has ever been found.
Bristol Crown Court heard he murdered Claire and made multiple confessions that he did it - including to an undercover police officer - because their child was taken into care.
She was 32 at the time and had said she had planned to meet with Osment on the night of 6 June 2012 after a drinking session at the Seamus O'Donnell pub.
He was found guilty of murder after a trial and was today (Wed) described by a judge as a "vile" selfish killer who prolonged the family's agony for 11 years by a judge.
Claire's family told the court they have never been able to properly grieve as her killer has never admitted what he did with her body.
And sentencing him, the Honorable Mrs Justice Cutts told him: "You robbed her of the future she deserved.
"You took her from her children. You have made her suffering so much worse by the way you have behaved since her death.
"For 11 long years no-one except you knew what happened to Claire.
"There was an extensive police missing person investigation that failed to find her.
"You could and should have told police what happened. You should and could have admitted you killed Claire. They were left with the agony of not knowing where she was or what happened.
"You left the family in limbo.
"Yet it was clear you could not live with the burden of what you had done.
"I accept you were haunted by it and to relive that you made confessions - to six people in all. Had you truly been remorseful you would have told the police and faced the consequences of your crime.
"You thought only of yourself."
The judge said after a difficult early life at the time of her death Claire was starting a "new chapter in her life" and was "rightly proud of herself.
She added: "It is clear from the deeply moving impact statements that she was a warm and vivacious person who was deeply loved.
"She had high hopes she would in time be able to have her children live with her.
"She was happy and optimistic about the future.
"A fresh start was ahead of her - you robbed her of that fresh start - you robbed her of the future she deserved."
The judge told him: "You were, in the words of your mother, a vile drunk and abusive and violent to women. Claire was on the receiving end of that violence."
In her remarks, the judge also rejected his claim on one of his confessions that he hired someone to kill her.