A Bradford man who hunted down his wife and slit her throat in front of her terrified friends has been jailed for life.

Rachel Linder, 39, was slain by husband Mohammed Kemp after years of horrific abuse at his hands.

She had tried to escape his brutality to the women's refuges in the North West of England.

But Kemp - known as Jack - tracked her down, slashed her throat and then led police on a 12-mile car chase.

Yesterday at Chester Crown Court Kemp admitted her murder and was ordered to serve at least 16 years.

After the case, Detective Chief Inspector Guy Hindle, who led the investigation, said: "Rachel's death was so brutal that it defies description."

A spokesman for Cheshire police said in April 2005 Rachel plucked up the courage to leave Kemp and moved from their home in Bradford to stay at a series of women's refuges.

On Monday, July 11, Rachel was in the Halton area of Cheshire and was out walking with three friends enjoying the evening sun.

At around 8.20pm Rachel and her friends were walking along a street in Widnes when a silver Ford Mondeo car pulled up alongside.

A man got out of the car and recognising him as her husband, Rachel pushed her friends aside.

Kemp, of no fixed address, then produced a knife, grabbed Rachel by the hair, pulled her head back and in front of her shocked friends he slit Rachel's throat, and stabbed her.

She fell to the floor, and Kemp moved towards the terrified group. However, Kemp realised Rachel, although seriously wounded, was attempting to crawl into the car.

He turned away from her friends, bundled his injured wife into the vehicle, and drove off.

Kemp drove to the car park of a nearby supermarket where he continued his dreadful assault on Rachel. However, a police car alerted to the scene, arrived within minutes.

Kemp drove over the kerb to escape the police vehicle, causing the front two tyres on his vehicle to burst. He was then followed by police at speeds of around 20 to 30 miles per hour, refusing to stop.

Det Chief Insp Hindle said: "Witnesses reported seeing Rachel's lifeless feet dangling through the window of the passenger door. At one point the Mondeo forced a police car from the road, injuring the police driver."

At Sefton Park in Merseyside, the vehicle was finally forced to stop by police and Kemp was arrested at the scene.

Three doctors who lived nearby tended to Rachel, who was still alive, but she died shortly afterwards at the scene.

Rachel left three children. Her daughters Lisa, 20, Donna, 19, and a son aged 21. This week her second grandchild was born when Donna gave birth to a baby girl.

DCI Hindle said the children had been "devastated" by their mother's death.

He added: "As a result of his extreme jealousy and anger at the wife he had abused for years who had plucked up the courage to leave him, Kemp carried out his ruthless revenge.

"The attack on Rachel was pre-meditated and callous. Kemp visited Widnes on several occasions before the attack to locate Rachel.

"On the night he took her life he waited an hour in the car to ambush her, armed with a knife that he had brought with him from Bradford. Kemp is a cruel and vengeful man, a man who has robbed Rachel of her chance to start a new life without him. His brutality is reflected in the verdict reached by the court."

Speaking after the case Rachel's elder sister Frances Widdop, said: "Rachel was a loving mother and sister who will be sadly missed by her three children and granddaughters.

"Rachel loved life, and had a wonderful sense of humour. She wanted to build a new life for herself and tragically her life was taken at this time in the most horrific and violent circumstances. Rachel was loved very much by her children and family, and will be dearly missed by them and her two granddaughters.

"We believe Rachel was robbed of her life by the violent actions of Jack Kemp. We are disgusted by Jack Kemp, a very controlling and violent man who she chose to leave to try and build a better future for herself and her children."