Man convicted over Cannock widow’s Christmas Day murder

Thomas Grant stole Lucy Clews' jewellery to fund his drug addiction, police said

A man has been convicted of murdering a "vulnerable, grieving widow" at her home on Christmas Day, after inviting him to stay to have company.

Lucy Clews, 39, from Cannock, had her phone, her wedding ring and two necklaces - one of which belonged to her husband - stolen, police said.

It was the prosecution's case Thomas Grant, 28, took and sold her jewellery to raise money for drugs.

He will be sentenced on Thursday over the death in 2021.

In a statement released by police, Ms Clews' family said: "We cannot express in words the hurt we feel in losing Lucy.

"We will never know what the future would have held for her."

The West Chadsmoor resident was found dead on 29 December after her mother raised concerns about not hearing from her over the festive period, the Staffordshire force stated.

It said Stafford Crown Court heard how the killer met her on Christmas Eve.

A post-mortem examination revealed Lucy Clews suffered multiple stab wounds and was strangled

She offered Grant, of no fixed abode, a place to stay over Christmas, as he had nowhere else to go.

A knife was found at the scene which contained both Ms Clews' and his DNA and Grant's possessions were discovered at her home.

A post-mortem examination revealed she suffered "multiple 'severe' stab wounds" and was strangled before her death, police said.

Det Ch Insp Cheryl Hannan said: "Lucy was a vulnerable, grieving widow, who invited Grant to stay with her over Christmas to have some company.

"Grant denied killing Lucy when interviewed but later admitted he had done so, when he got angry with officers while on remand."