Man spends first year behind bars over 'horrifying murder' of estranged wife in South Yorkshire street with machete
and live on Freeview channel 276
Craig Woodhall, aged 41, chased his ex, Victoria, down the street before killing her in a frenzied attack witnessed by their horrified neighbours.
The former soldier used a Gurkha-style machete in the attack on March 29 last year, which left Victoria, a mum-of-three, with multiple skull fractures, as well as significant injuries to her head, face, neck, arms, hands, shoulders and back.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdHe drove off from the scene but was arrested shortly afterwards and has been behind bars since.
Woodhall pleaded guilty to murder and was jailed for life last October.
He was ordered to serve a minimum of 18-and-a-half years behind bars.
Victoria, who worked as a nurse at Rotherham Hospital, was killed in Windsor Crescent in what Detective Inspector Ben Wood described as a ‘brutal and sustained attack’ and ‘horrifying murder’.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdCCTV footage recovered from the street showed Woodhall dragging Victoria to the ground and stabbing her several times before walking away. He returned to her twice to inflict more violence.
DI Wood said the attack ‘caused a significant deal of distress within the local community, especially among those residents who witnessed the murder’.
He said eyewitnesses have received specialist support to help them cope with the ‘traumatic impact’ of the murder.
Jailing Woodhall, Judge Jeremy Richardson said: “Your conduct may only be characterised as merciless, determined, sustained and savage in the extreme. The deceased was defenceless.”