FORMER soldier Robert Wilkie was a decent family man who was killed because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Mr Wilkie, a 43-year-old former commando, had fallen in love with mother-of two Debbie O'Brien and the pair had talked of marriage.

Although he had his own flat, Mr Wilkie spent most of his time at his girlfriend's home, where she also cared for two foster children. They were looking forward to their life together.

Prosecutors said Mr Wilkie had never met Stephenson-Snell. He only set eyes on her for the first time two minutes before his death.

His plea for silence on that fateful Halloween night when he went outside - because he feared that the children sleeping upstairs would wake up - was his only mistake.

Following Stephenson-Snell's conviction, Debbie O'Brien and Mr Wilkie's brother, Billy, welcomed the length of time she will spend behind bars. Mrs O'Brien, aged 40, and Mr Wilkie clung to each other for support as their statement was read out by a police family liaison officer.

The statement said: "We wish to thank all the police officers involved in the prosecution of this case for their hard work which enabled the lies of the person responsible for Bob's death to be exposed and her to be removed from society for a long time to come.

"Whilst the sentence will never compensate for the loss of a wonderful, kind loving partner, brother and loyal friend to many, today's verdict goes some small way to redressing the balance."

The sentence was welcomed by Det Supt Simon Barraclough, who led the investigation. He described Stephenson-Snell as "one of the most bizarre characters I have ever encountered".

"It was a particularly wicked, nasty crime committed by a twisted individual," said Supt Barraclough.

"She initially had the gall to blame her intended victim for the crime and then the man she killed. He was a totally decent man who was cut down in his prime.

"He may have thought it was a young teenager messing around in a stupid outfit on Halloween and gone outside to deal with it. For his efforts, he was shot.

"Stephenson-Snell is an extremely dangerous and violent individual - a danger to society and it is a good thing that she has been sent to prison for a very long time."