A WICKED and delusional drug addict has been jailed for life for murdering his partner in a frenzied and brutal attack with knives and a pickaxe handle.

James Hutchinson must serve a minimum term of 23 years behind bars before he can even be considered for parole, the judge sentencing him at Bradford Crown Court ruled today.

Hutchinson, 43, of Holme Wood Road, Bradford, was high on heroin and crack cocaine and had downed a bottle of vodka when he murdered NHS worker, Nicola Woodman, in her home on Christmas Day.

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Miss Woodman, who would have been 40 today, is the mother of two children and was expecting Hutchinson's baby, the court was told.

Hutchinson killed her in a sustained and horrific attack, lasting an hour, in the living room at her home in Bankholme Court in Bradford.

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In his mistaken delusion, he believed that loyal Miss Woodman, who loved him very deeply, was having an affair, prosecutor Jonathan Sharp said.

Hutchinson was handcuffed to a dock officer in court to stop him injuring himself.

He sat with head down as the terrible details of the murder were outlined to a courtroom packed with Miss Woodman's family and friends, some of whom wept openly.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC told Hutchinson: "You are not ill, you are wicked."

He stated: "This is a classic case of a good woman who fell in love with a thoroughly bad man."

Hutchinson had 46 previous convictions for offences including violent disorder, grievous bodily harm, actual bodily harm, affray and criminal damage.

His barrister, Michelle Colborne QC, said the only mitigation was his plea of guilty to the murder charge.

A victim personal statement from Miss Woodman's father, Arthur Woodman, said her death was "a hammer blow."

He had lost a beautiful person and was sickened by her murder.

Miss Woodman's mother, Joyce Bird, said the whole family missed her so much.

"I can't function or even think straight most of the time," she said.

Police attended the couple's home at Bankwood Court after Hutchinson contacted the ambulance service at 4.20pm on Boxing Day last year.

By that time Miss Woodman had already been dead for more than 12 hours. Police found her badly mutilated body and the following day Hutchinson was found and arrested.

Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Spencer of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team said: "During interview Hutchinson stated that on Christmas Day, together with Nicola, he had visited his relatives nearby. Both left sometime that evening and returned to their home address. 

"An argument then ensued instigated by Hutchinson. Hutchinson tied Nicola’s arms behind her back with electrical flex. He said he ‘jabbed’ at her chest with a knife and then hit her several times with a wooden axe shaft. He then left her to go and purchase drugs and, on his return, stated that she was cold and stiff. Later, on the 26th, he finally decided to call for an ambulance. 

"In total, Nicola suffered 102 injuries to her body; she had been stabbed at least 24 times. Eight of those were aimed at the left hand side of her chest and eight were defensive injuries to her arms. She had suffered a sustained violent attack with extensive sharp and blunt force injuries to her head and body.

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"Nicola's family are understandably overwhelmed and devastated by grief.

"Hutchinson’s callous and calculating actions can only be described as monstrous.

"I would like to praise Nicola's family for the strength and dignity they have shown throughout and hope, in some small way, the sentence imposed upon Hutchinson today may give the family some satisfaction that justice has been done, and whilst it can never bring Nicola back, help them to begin to move forward with their lives."