Police release chilling footage of wedding night killer dragging his dead wife's body in suitcase after he is jailed for murder

A "bully" who murdered his bride on their wedding night and stuffed her body into a suitcase has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years.
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Powerfully-built Thomas Nutt, 46, punched and then strangled 5ft grandmother Dawn Walker. He hid her body in a cupboard at their home near Halifax before breaking one of her legs so that he could fit her into the suitcase.

Chilling footage released by West Yorkshire Police after he was sentenced shows him dragging the suitcase towards the spot where he tossed it over a fence and then hit it in bushes. Her remains were found there four days after they married.

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Bradford Crown Court heard Nutt lied to her family, blaming her disappearance on her mental health, sent them false texts supposedly from her, and convinced her youngest daughter to help try to find her, all the while knowing she was dead.

Thomas Nutt has been jailed for life after killing his wife on their wedding night and stuffing her body into a suitcase. Picture: West Yorkshire Police/PA WireThomas Nutt has been jailed for life after killing his wife on their wedding night and stuffing her body into a suitcase. Picture: West Yorkshire Police/PA Wire
Thomas Nutt has been jailed for life after killing his wife on their wedding night and stuffing her body into a suitcase. Picture: West Yorkshire Police/PA Wire

He had controlled his 52-year-old victim for years and isolated her from members of family, her sister told the court.

Sentencing, Judge Jonathan Rose told him: "Dawn Walker died because you are a bully, used to getting your own way with women, used to controlling and manipulating women and used to using your considerable size advantage to inflict violence on women if you considered it necessary to do so."

Nutt killed the mother-of-three hours after their wedding when they returned home to Shirley Grove, Lightcliffe, on the night of October 27.

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He told police they had gone on honeymoon to Skegness the next day, but the judge said there was no evidence to support that claim and he was sure Ms Walker was already dead.

Grandmother Dawn Walker, 52, who was killed on the night of her wedding. Picture: Family Handout/PA WireGrandmother Dawn Walker, 52, who was killed on the night of her wedding. Picture: Family Handout/PA Wire
Grandmother Dawn Walker, 52, who was killed on the night of her wedding. Picture: Family Handout/PA Wire

The killer "desecrated" her body by breaking bones to make her fit in the suitcase, Judge Rose said.

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The victim's daughter, Kiera-Lee Guest, told the court Nutt had put up Halloween decorations in the house even while Ms Walker was lying dead.

Ms Guest said Nutt knew what he had done when she went from place to place with a photo of her mother, asking if people had seen her.

She said: "Justice will be served for my beautiful mother."

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Ms Walker's sister, Lisa, said Nutt manipulated his victim and isolated her from family for three years "before his ungodly hands took her away from us forever".

She told the court: "I mourn for my sister who suffered so much and felt like she had nobody to turn to because this man made her feel worthless."

Alistair MacDonald QC, prosecuting, said the crime was aggravated by the way Nutt deceived her family, causing them "psychological damage".

Stephen Wood QC, mitigating, said there was no evidence that Nutt intended to kill his wife and it had been "spontaneous".

Nutt had admitted manslaughter but was convicted of murder.

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After the judge imposed a life sentence with a 21-year minimum term, a woman in the public gallery called out: "Thank you Your Honour, thank you."

Detective Inspector Amanda Wimbles, the senior investigating officer, said: “Our thoughts continue to be with Dawn’s family, who have shown great dignity and strength through what has understandably been a devastating time for them.

"No verdict or sentence will bring Dawn back to her family. I hope however, that in getting justice they can begin to move forward with their lives.”