Thomas Griffiths given life sentence for murdering Calne teenager Ellie Gould
Teenager Thomas Griffiths has been given a life sentence for killing his ex-girlfriend in what was described by the judge as a "frenzied knife attack".
Ellie Gould was murdered in her home in Calne in May after ending the relationship with her boyfriend of three months.
Griffiths, now 18, pleaded guilty to killing Ellie at a previous court appearance, and was today [November 8] sentenced to at least 12 and a half years in prison at Bristol Crown Court.
On the morning of May 2, Griffiths left school after being dropped off by his mum. He then used the family car to drive to Ellie's home in Calne despite not having a driving licence.
A post mortem later showed Griffiths strangled 17-year-old Ellie and used a kitchen knife to stab her 13 times in the neck and face.
Griffiths returned to school after murdering the teenager, having dumped blood-soaked cloths he'd used to clear up the murder scene in a nearby wooded area.
He sent Ellie several messages to cover his tracks. He also used social media to leave a trail of cover ups. On Snapchat he told friends that scratches on his neck - indicating Ellie's struggle for her life - were due to self-harm.
These attempts were described by Mr Justice Garnham, as "not remotely sophisticated and were never going to work".
Ellie's dad found her body when he returned from work later that day and called the emergency services. He described the moment as "the most frightening, horrific and saddest scene I have ever witnessed".
Wiltshire Police have paid tribute to Ellie's family, friends and school.