Partner of murdered Britain's Got Talent nurse jailed

Desmond Sylva attacked Ms Kerr in bed with a 20cm kitchen knife

A man who stabbed his partner - a finalist on Britain's Got Talent - more than 70 times has been jailed for life.

Desmond Sylva, 41, slashed the throat of Simonne Kerr, 31, with a 20cm kitchen knife at his flat in Clapham, south London, on 15 August.

Old Bailey judge Wendy Joseph QC told Sylva that Ms Kerr "was in your home undressed and in your bed and was about as vulnerable as a person can be".

He must serve a minimum of 21 years after being convicted of murder.

Judge Joseph said it was clear Sylva has a "dreadful and ungovernable" temper and called it a "sustained and ferocious attack".

"You killed Simonne Kerr because you are a man of violent disposition prone to outbursts of violent temper," she added.

Simonne Kerr appeared on Britain's Got Talent following the death of her son Kavele

Sylva had admitted manslaughter but denied murder, claiming his depression impaired his mental function, but he was found guilty by a jury.

During the trial, prosecutor Oliver Glasgow QC said the actions of the Iraq war veteran were a case of "sexual desire, appalling violence and desperate lies".

He said Sylva "wanted to restart a sexual relationship" with Ms Kerr, his on-off girlfriend.

"When he did not get what he wanted, he could not control his anger and he exploded," the court heard.

Ms Kerr was pronounced dead at the scene on 15 August last year

Ms Kerr found fame as part of an NHS choir called B Positive on the ITV talent show.

She met Sylva through a dating app and had arranged to visit his flat after finishing her shift at Guys and St Thomas's Hospital on the day she died.

In a 999 call played in court, Sylva said: "I've just committed a murder. I'm ex-Army and I've got lots of mental health issues."

He had served in the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers between 2002 and 2012 before being discharged on medical grounds.

Giving evidence, psychiatrist Dr Philip Joseph questioned whether the attack had anything to do with being depressed and suggested Sylva was "pre-disposed to violence".