Former butcher found guilty of murdering woman and dismembering her body

A former butcher has been convicted of murdering a woman before hiding her severed head in an underground tunnel.

Christopher May, 50, was found guilty of the murder of Tracey Woodford, from Pontypridd, by a jury at Cardiff Crown Court after less than an hour of deliberations.

May invited Ms Woodford back to his flat after he meeting her in the pub.

He strangling her to death before sexually assaulting her and dismembering her body.

Ms Woodford's torso was found in a rucksack in a cupboard at May's flat in Pontypridd - while her head was found in an underground tunnel.

The court heard the body part was retrieved inside a storm drain close to Pontypridd RFC's stadium.

In his opening of the case prosecution barrister Roger Thomas QC described May as a sexual predator obsessed with redheads.

May's trial was told that six days before the murder he had made "creepy" remarks to a teenager before stroking her fingers.

"This was a brutal, vicious and sexually-motivated murder. After her death she was mutilated and dismembered, Mr Thomas said during the trial.

"These actions were carried out deliberately and methodically with the intention of concealing her body parts, and thereby evading detection."

Speaking after the verdict, Ms Woodford's relatives paid tribute to Tracey as a "kind, caring and loving person" and said no amount of time would fill the hole "this monster has left in our family."

Speaking outside court, South Wales Police said May had shown no remorse for the murder, which they described as a "inhumane, barbaric and sexually motivated attack."