Family of victim reveals 'immense pain' as serial killer is sentenced to 26 years

The family of a woman who was killed by her partner in a hammer attack have described the 'immense pain' they suffered after her death.

Theodore Johnson had a violent history towards the women in his life, the court heard, having been convicted of manslaughter twice before.

In 1981, he was convicted of killing his wife by pushing her off a balcony in Wolverhampton and then, in 1993 he was convicted of strangling another girlfriend in London.

Sentencing, Judge Marks told Johnson: "Such repeated offending, resulting in three separate court cases, must be almost unprecedented."

"The attack by you on Angela Best was sustained, vicious and utterly brutal. She suffered an unimaginably terrible death."

Johnson's crime was aggravated by the fact it was his third killing of a female partner and that he repeatedly lied and concealed from authorities that he was with Ms Best.

• Watch Melissa Wright's report below.