A BRADFORD man was today found guilty of murdering a woman with whom he had rekindled a relationship with over Facebook.

David Hoyle, 39, of Idle Road, repeatedly stabbed Rebecca Bamber, 43, with knives and bottles during a drunken row at her home.

He was jailed for life with an order that he serves a minimum of 25 years after he was found guilty of Miss Bamber's murder by a jury at Chester Crown Court.

He had previously admitted her manslaughter but had denied her murder.

The jury was told that the couple had spent the night together at Miss Bamber's home in Mersey Road, Widnes, in June this year when Hoyle attacked her.

A neighbour raised the alarm when he heard screams coming from the house and then saw Miss Bamber, at her window, covered in blood, mouthing 'phone the police'.

The court was told the neighbour rang 999 and went to the back of the house and saw Hoyle in the garden with Miss Bamber.

She had collapsed on the ground and he was standing over her with a knife. The neighbour went back to his own house to find something to defend himself with.

He stayed on the line to the call handler and went back to the garden but Hoyle had gone.

As he went back outside, he saw Hoyle drive away from the scene, and, chillingly, smile at him as he passed.

The neighbour gave the 999 call handler the registration number of the van and then went back into the house to see if anyone else was there.

Police caught up with Hoyle near to the Runcorn Bridge but he rammed their vehicles and moved off on to the M56, where he was again stopped and Tasered. He was arrested, made no comment in interview and was said to be calm throughout.

After Hoyle was found guilty of murder, Richard Riley, Senior Crown Prosecutor with Mersey-Cheshire Crown Prosecution Service, said: said: “Hoyle’s claim that he hadn't meant to kill her was ridiculous – she had been stabbed 11 times with two different knives and three broken bottles.

“The jury dismissed these claims and has found Hoyle guilty of murder.

“I would like to thank Miss Bamber’s neighbour for the courage he showed throughout this dreadful incident. His 999 call was the key to putting a very dangerous man behind bars.”

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