Melissa Mathieson murder: Jason Conroy 'serious danger to public'

Melissa Mathieson, 18, was strangled at a Bristol residential home where she and Conroy lived

A killer with "abnormal sexual drive" poses a serious danger to the public, the judge sentencing him to a life term for murder has said.

Jason Conroy, 19, strangled Melissa Mathieson, 18, last year at a Bristol home providing special care for adults, then tried to drag her to his room.

The Bristol Crown Court judge said Conroy had decided to kill her so could have sex with her.

He told Conroy he must serve a minimum of 19 years.

Judge Graham Cottle said he posed "a very serious danger to the public, in particular young women".

"You stalked her and your intention was to have sexual intercourse with her," Judge Cottle said.

"You knew that she would not consent to it and so you determined to kill her and then have sex with her.

"I'm satisfied you had decided on this course of action sometime before the evening of 15 October 2014.

Conroy had denied murder, but had admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. Prosecutors did not accept that plea.

The jury was told Jason Conroy showed "abnormal sexual drive" from a young age

Miss Mathieson had told care staff at the Alexandra House residential home she was being stalked and Conroy was making her feel scared.

An independent review into the case has been commissioned by the Bristol Safeguarding Adults Board.

During the trial, the jury was told Conroy strangled Miss Mathieson before attempting to drag her from her third-floor bedroom to his room on the second floor.

Staff found Miss Mathieson injured on the stairs with red marks around her neck. She died later in hospital.

Consultant psychologist John Sandford told the jury during the trial Conroy showed "from a young age abnormal sexual drive and a history of aggressive behaviour".

He said he believed Conroy suffered from paraphilia - a condition characterised by perverted or irregular sexual desires - and was fixated on strangulation and sex with dead women.