'What you have done has broken my family apart': Dad of murdered Leeds mum Sarah Keith tells killer Carl Chadwick how he has 'destroyed' his family

Andrew Keith told Carl Chadwick how his family had been left 'broken' by the brutal murder of Sarah Keith.

Chadwick was sentenced to life with a minimum of 25 years in prison today after pleading guilty to killing his partner at her home in Horsforth on April 13 this year.

The 35-year-old criminal strangled the 26-year-old victim with her dressing gown cord moments after they had sex.

He then stabbed her five times in the heart during the drink and drug-fuelled attack at the flat on Broadway.

Leeds Crown Court heard Chadwick planned the murder as revenge after convincing himself that Ms Keith had been unfaithful to him while he was serving a prison sentence.

In a victim statement, read to the court by prosecutor Jonathan Sharp, Mr Keith said: "Carl, what you have done has broken my family apart.

"We are all broken, especially Emma, Sarah's daughter.

"You have broken her heart. She does not understand what has happened.

"Until her ashes were returned to us, she asked if her mum was going to get better.

"She could not understand that her mum was not getting better and would not be coming home to her."

Chadwick and Ms Keith had been in a relationship for four years.

During that time Chadwick and been controlling and violent towards her.

Mr Keith said: "We thought you were a nice bloke.

"Over the time you spent with our daughter the truth came out.

"We are heartbroken and devastated that our daughter was taken from us in the way that she was.

"We are all so lost without Sarah and are struggling without her being with us.

"She was loved and will be missed by her daughter, family and friends."

As he imposed the life sentence, Judge Geoffrey Marson QC told Chadwick: "The victim personal statement speaks of the loss Sarah's family have suffered.

"You have destroyed the lives of Sarah's family and for them it is a life sentence.

"They will never be able to forget what you did in taking the life of someone they loved and valued so much."

After the case, Detective Inspector Amanda Wimbles, of West Yorkshire Police Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “Sarah was a vulnerable young mother, and her family have been left absolutely devastated at her murder in an utterly senseless attack by her partner Carl Chadwick.

“He will now have a long time in prison to reflect on what he has done and the pain and anguish it has caused.

"We hope Sarah’s family will be able to take at least some small sense of comfort from knowing he has had to answer for his actions.”