Claire Tiltman's killer branded as 'pure evil'

A former milkman branded "pure evil" by police has been found guilty of killing a schoolgirl in a "frenzied and remorseless" murder more than 20 years ago.

Colin Ash-Smith, 46, stabbed Claire Tiltman from behind as she took a short cut through a dark alleyway to a friend's house in 1993, just four days after her 16th birthday.

Friends of Claire who have attended court every day of the trial broke down in tears as the verdict was read out at Inner London Crown Court.

Blond-haired Ash-Smith stared straight ahead stoney-faced as the jury of seven men and five women gave their verdict after around three hours of deliberation.

Ash-Smith went on to launch a second ferocious attack on another young woman, Charlotte Barnard, in the same town, Greenhithe in Kent, in 1995, leaving her for dead. She was knifed 14 times but survived and Ash-Smith was later jailed for that attack.