Christmas Day killer Thomas Grant jailed for Lucy Clews murder

A man who "brutally" killed a grieving widow at her home on Christmas Day and sold her wedding ring to fund his drug habit has been jailed for life.

Lucy Clews, 39, offered Thomas Grant a place to stay on Christmas Eve in 2021, when he said he had nowhere else to go.

She was found dead at her Staffordshire home after her mother raised concerns.

In jailing the 38-year-old for a minimum of nearly 26 years, Judge Christina Montgomery KC said it had been a "ferocious and callous murder".

In a statement read out during Grant's sentencing hearing at Stafford Crown Court, Ms Clews' mother said her daughter "had brought life into her life" and her pain "was now unbearable".

During the trial, the jury heard Ms Clews' husband had died just a few days before she met Grant, when the two of them went to buy drugs together.

Lucy Clews was grieving the death of her husband

Police began investigating when Ms Clews' mother raised concerns, having not heard from her over the festive period. Her body was then discovered at her Cannock home on 29 December.

When he was arrested in Hednesford on 30 December 2021, Grant gave a false name to officers, the court heard.

But on checking CCTV, police officers found footage of the defendant, after he left the scene of the murder on Christmas Day.

'Severe stab wounds'

They also found Grant had spent several days visiting people he knew after killing Ms Clews, trying to persuade them to give him money to fuel his drug habit, the court heard.

It was the prosecution's case that he stole and sold Ms Clews' jewellery - including her wedding ring and a necklace belonging to her late husband - in order to raise money for drugs. He also sold her mobile phone.

The trial was told a knife was found at the scene that had both Ms Clews' and his DNA on it. Grant's possessions were also discovered at her home.

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

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

A doctor told the court he had never come across ribs shattered in the way Ms Clews's were.

During his trial, Grant had denied killing Ms Clews, claiming someone else was responsible, but refused to tell the court who that was.

He was found guilty in August, following a five-week trial and had been due to be sentenced the following day.

However, the case was adjourned by the judge for psychiatric reports to be prepared on him.

Following his conviction senior investigating officer, Det Ch Insp Cheryl Hannan, of Staffordshire Police, described Ms Clews as "a vulnerable, grieving widow, who invited Grant to stay with her over Christmas to have some company".

"Grant repaid that kindness by brutally killing her," she said.

She added: "The sentence will never bring Lucy back and it will not heal their sense of loss, but I do hope it represents justice served."