An “evil monster” who cut his wife’s body into more than 200 pieces has been jailed for life.
Nicholas Metson had admitted to murdering 26-year-old Holly Bramley in March 2023. Afterwards, he paid a friend £50 to help him dump her remains in a river.
The 28-year-old stabbed his wife at least four times before dismembering and storing her body parts for a week in the kitchen larder of their Lincoln flat.
Holly Bramley. Pic: PA
Prosecutors described Metson as “twisted and barbaric”, saying that the way he cut his wife into at least 224 separate pieces went “far beyond what was needed to move the body”.
The court was told that Ms Bramley’s remains were discovered by a member of the public who initially thought they belonged to an animal.
Metson had told Lincolnshire Police that his wife had left their home with members of a local mental health crisis team – but officers noticed a “strong smell of bleach” and found bloodstained sheets, as well as a saw on a towel.
After being charged with Ms Bramley’s murder, an examination of Metson’s phone revealed he had made Google searches for “how to get rid of a dead body”, “what benefits can I get if my wife dies” and “does God forgive murder”.
Following her death, the killer messaged Ms Bramley’s friends from her Facebook profile to trick them into thinking she was still alive – and sent himself money from her bank account.
CCTV footage showed Metson moving a large number of bags from his 14th-floor flat in the early hours of 25 March last year.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Metson was sentenced to a minimum term of 19 years and 316 days behind bars.
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Simon Hirst said: “It is plain that Holly was a much loved young woman. She is described by her mother as beautiful, kind, and loving.
“It is also plain that Holly’s friends have been left with a void that will never be filled in their lives.”
Joshua Hancock, 28, was the school friend who helped the murderer move the body parts – and admitted obstructing a coroner, as well as unrelated offences of attempting sexual communication with a child and drug offences.
A lawyer defending Hancock had told the court that he “bitterly regrets his involvement” – adding: “Mr Hancock did not know what that job entailed. He was coming into an activity that wasn’t of his making.”
Hancock was jailed for a total of three years and three months.