RELATIVES of murder victim Angela Heyes say "even hanging would have been too good " for her killer.

Steven Penn, who strangled his ex-lover and then dumped her body by the side of a moorland road, was today starting a life sentence. He showed no emotion as a jury convicted him yesterday of the brutal murder of Angela just days before her 34th birthday.

Today, Pamela Heyes, 23, of Farnworth, described her hatred for the man who murdered her older sister. "Penn still has his life, my sister doesn't - where's the justice in that?

"Even hanging would have been too good for him. He deserved slow torture for what he did to Angela.

"If he had been cleared yesterday I would have blown him away myself. It would have been worth serving life for that." In court yesterday Penn, 37, was told by Mr Justice Kay: "It was a nasty murder of somebody who trusted you.

"You caused her pain and then you killed her and disposed of her body in a callous way".

Miss Heyes was sexually abused, probably with a bottle, at Penn's flat in Park Road, Bolton and then strangled with a ligature when she threatened to report him to police.

Her body was then hidden for several days before being left in undergrowth by the side of the road running between Bolton and Blackburn.

Penn, aged 37, who had a daughter by Miss Heyes, was quizzed by detectives and denied any knowledge of the killing. But he was trapped because he could be linked to the murder by three vital clues.

Miss Heyes' blood was found on the underside of Penn's mattress, prosecuting counsel Charles Garside QC, told the jury.

A piece of bloodstained twine, similar to twine he used at work, was also found in a bin behind his home and Penn had given a watch - just like one owned by the victim - to his daughter. Throughout his trial Penn maintained his innocence, but the jury reached a unanimous guilty verdict after considering the evidence for almost ten hours.

Pamela said: "I remember Penn from years ago. When Angela first met him I was just a kid. He didn't seem the type who could do something like this - but you never really know do you?

"Angela and I would go years sometimes without seeing one another, but then when we did we were always very close. "I saw her just a couple of months before she died. It was in November and she spotted me as I walked past the Blue Boar pub. She came flying out and we laughed and joked for quite some time.

"I was heavily pregnant and we agreed to meet again when the baby was born. We were robbed of that chance.

"There was a strong sisterly bond between us. Angela was very independent. She overcame all her problems on her own, and in the end she seemed to be enjoying her life and getting herself together."

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