'Hate's not a powerful enough word - he has devastated so many lives': Becky Watts' aunt and uncle speak to ITV News

Nathan Matthews should be "tormented by his conscience" for the rest of his life after he brutally murdered and dismembered Becky Watts, her aunt and uncle have told ITV News.

Sam Galsworthy and Sarah Broom said hate "wasn't a powerful enough word" to describe how they feel towards Matthews, who has "devastated so many lives".

"I hope his conscience really torments him,” Mr Galsworthy said.

The couple spoke to Rupert Evelyn about their grief, their feelings towards Becky's murderer and how the family plan on rebuilding their lives.

  • 'We thought she was with friends - we didn't expect this outcome'

A huge search was launched for Becky after her disappearance. Credit: PA Wire

The couple said they believed the teenager was just at a friend's house when she was reported missing.

“We were all sort of just hoping that maybe she was just at a friend's and maybe it had got too public that she didn’t want to come home and she was a bit scared or worried but we were never ever expecting the outcome," Mr Galsworthy said.

"You always hold hope, for somebody you love you always hold hope and even while searching.

"As the searches changed from a kind of ground searches and poster putting out to land field searches - we knew that we were no longer for Becky alive."

  • The moment the family heard Becky had been dismembered

A forensic tent is seen after the teenager's body was discovered. Credit: PA Wire

After strangling Becky, Matthews purchased an £80 saw, goggles, masks, bags, cling film and tape to cut up and package Becky's body.

Her aunt and uncle said the moment they were told that Becky was dismembered was one they will "remember forever".

Mr Galsworthy said it was "not a human thought process" to do that to another human being.

  • The death penalty

Nathan Matthews' mugshot. Credit: Police handout

Matthews has taken the life of a person who "still had many years ahead of her and many things to experience", the couple said.

Asked whether they would want Matthews to face the death penalty if it were still in force in the UK, Becky's aunt said: “Death is an easy way for us death is too good."

Her uncle said Matthews should be handed a whole life sentence as he will never be "fit to be in society".

  • 'We are picking up the pieces of our world'

Becky's family said she still had so much to experience in life. Credit: Family handout

What next for Becky's family?

"We are literally picking up the pieces of our world and we are going to try and piece them back together," her uncle said.

"We are never going to get that picture again because there are pieces of each of us missing.

"We have changed as people ourselves.”