Emily Longley murder: Elliot Turner receives life sentence

Elliot Turner denied murder throughout the four-week trial

The boyfriend of an aspiring model from New Zealand has been given a life sentence for murdering her at his home in Bournemouth.

Elliot Turner, 20, strangled Emily Longley, 17, who was found dead in bed at his family's house in Queenswood Avenue in May 2011.

He was told at Winchester Crown Court he would serve at least 16 years in prison.

Turner had denied murder but admitted perverting the course of justice.

The prosecution said Turner killed Emily in a jealous rage at his parents' house on 7 May last year.

He had a history of obsession with women and began to believe Emily was seeing someone else behind his back.

'Incredibly dangerous'

Sentencing Turner, Mrs Justice Dobbs described Turner as displaying breathtaking arrogance in conducting an interview with a New Zealand newspaper while on remand.

She said: "Emily was a lovely, kind, fun-loving girl who brought a ray of sunshine to those she touched.

"That light has been extinguished suddenly and needlessly by you.

"You did not love her, she was just a trophy.

"The relationship, if it can be called that, was all about you. It was about control - control you carried out using aggression and threats.

"You can put away thoughts of champagne, Bentleys and girls and concentrate on the reason you are serving a life sentence."

Mrs Justice Dobbs also sentenced Turner to nine months to run concurrently for perverting the course of justice.

Speaking outside court, Emily's father Mark Longley said the family could now move on and grieve for her.

He said: "We are pleased he is not on the streets now. He's an incredibly dangerous person and we are relieved he cannot do this again."

Turner's parents, Leigh Turner, 54, and Anita Turner, 51, had denied perverting the course of justice but were convicted by the jury.

They tried to help cover up the crime by destroying a confession letter from their son and taking away vital evidence after the killing at their home.

They were bailed until sentencing, at a date to be fixed, but were told by the judge they were likely to face jail.