Family blasts 'monster' who murdered 'beautiful and loving' girlfriend in her Leeds flat
The family of Sam Varley who was brutally murdered by her boyfriend in the flat they shared have paid tribute to her, while labelling her killer a “monster”.
Warren Spence was given a life sentence and ordered to serve a minimum 24 years in jail after being found guilty of the barbaric slaying of Ms Varley.
The 44-year-old’s body was found in her flat on February 12 last year, four days after she was last seen.
Spence, 55, had fled to Scarborough but was quickly arrested by officers. He continues to deny her killing, but was unanimously found guilty of murder by a jury after a two-week trial at Leeds Crown Court.
After he was sentenced this morning, Ms Varley’s family said: “Sam's death has had a devastating impact on all our family, more so as we've learned the awful circumstances in which she was taken from us and the suffering she endured at the hands of what we can only describe as an absolute monster.
“Although Sam's death will remain a heartache forever, her family choose to remember her for the beautiful, kind, loving and funny girl she really was, our Sam.”
A statement written by her uncle, and read out by prosecutor Stephen Wood KC, said: “To have her life brutally taken by this ‘thing’ has devastated us. There can’t be any comeback from this crime.”
Spence had a history of attacking women and would regularly threaten and dish out beatings to Ms Varley during their brief relationship.
She confided in friends that he was violent and feared he would kill her, but struggled to rid herself of him due to their shared drug habit.
On February 8 last year he beat her with punches, kicks and a hammer which was found in their property on Brown Hill Terrace. It is not known what triggered the argument which ultimately led to her death.
Bite marks were found on her legs, arms and hands, and clumps of hair were found dotted around the flat, consistent with being ripped from her scalp during a struggle.
She also had 25 individual rib fractures, 23 of which were a complete fracture through the entire diameter of the bone.
Blood later found on Spence’s right trainer was DNA matched to Ms Varley, consistent of him using his feet in the attack.
Speaking after the sentencing, the senior investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector James Entwistle said: “Sam Varley suffered a horrendous catalogue of injuries in a brutal and sustained attack by Warren Spence.
“He then left her there to die without the slightest consideration, and she was not discovered until several days later.
“He has given no explanation for his violent actions which have left Sam’s family completely devastated by their loss.
“While nothing can bring Sam back, we hope her family can take at least some small measure of comfort from knowing that he has now been held criminally responsible for her death and will have a long time in prison to consider the pain he has caused them.”