Hammer-horror killer guilty of girlfriend's brutal murder at Leeds flat

The jury at Leeds Crown Court unanimously convicted Warren Spence of the sickening killing of 44-year-old Sam Varley.

He beat her with punches, kicks and a hammer which was found in their property on Brown Hill Terrace in Harehills.

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.

During the two-week trial it was heard that Ms Varley’s body was found face down on her bed in the property on February 12 after friends raised concerns with police about her whereabouts.

Spence was later arrested in Scarborough, having caught a bus from Leeds on the morning of February 15. The 55-year-old gave a false name when stopped by police.

He then refused to answer questions during his police interview.

He and Ms Varley had been in a relationship for a “few months” and both had drug problems.

The last sighting of her alive was February 8. Around that time Spence had told a friend that he had “barny”with Sam and she had kicked him out of the flat.

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Prosecutor Stephen Wood KC said that the couple’s relationship had been “characterised by Spence’s controlling behaviour” and an “indiscriminate use of violence towards her”. He has previous convictions for violence against women.

Ms Varley had told one friend she was “frightened to death” of Spence, who would beat her, put knives to her throat and put his hands around her throat so tightly that she felt suffocated.

Another friend had seen messages on Ms Varley’s phone from Spence threatening to kill her, to burn all her clothes and burn her hair off. He would also threaten to harm Ms Varley’s children.

Spence, who was remanded into custody will be sentenced on March 24. He faces a mandatory life sentence with the judge to determine the minimum term he must spend locked up.