Killer jailed for at least 30 years for Aldi 'revenge' murder

A man who stabbed a supermarket worker to death in a pre-planned attack has been jailed for at least 30 years - and told by a judge that it was 'highly probable' he would never be released.

Neville Hord, 44, pleaded guilty to murdering Jodie Willsher, who was stabbed to death in front of horrifed shoppers in an Aldi store in Skipton, North Yorkshire, on December 21st last year.

Bradford Crown Court heard the motive for the "cold-blooded public execution" of the mother-of-one was revenge.

Hord was the ex-partner of Mrs Willsher's mother Nicole Dinsdale, and told police "Jodie made things very difficult in my and her mother's relationship."

Prosecutor Peter Moulson QC told the court how Hord stabbed Mrs Willsherseveral times in the store before he was stopped and restrained by members of the public.

He said the defendant admitted putting a tracking device on Ms Willsher's car and had been planning the killing for two weeks, buying a pistol crossbow as an "option weapon".

The prosecutor said Hord admitted he went to the store to kill Jodie and toldofficers he thought she had smiled at him as they made eye contact in thesupermarket before he stabbed her.

He said the defendant admitted taking the axe into the store as "back up, just in case".

The attack was witnessed by many people, including a child as well as caught on CCTV.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC told Hord he was "truly and horribly rotten to the core".

He said: "You sentenced her, in your mind, to death. You chose a time and a place to, in effect, execute; to kill; to murder."

He said the killing was calculated to cause the "maximum pain, horror, shock and trauma" and sentencing Hord to at least 30 years in prison, he told him "The high probability is that you will never be released."

In a statement read to the court, Ms Willsher's husband Malcolm, said his life and that of his daughter Megan had been ripped apart. He said Megan and her daughter had an "unbreakable bond".

Mr Willsher said his daughter has told him: "I hate you daddy for not bringing mummy back."

He described how his daughter had been looking forward to opening her Christmas presents with her mother and the family had a trip to Disneyland planned on Boxing Day.

Mr Willsher said: "I'm so scared he'll get out and do something to Megan."The judge replied: "Malcolm's fears for Megan perhaps can be laid to rest."

Chris Kiddey was in court for the sentencing.