Man jailed for life for murdering newlywed bride

Unemployed Stephen Butters has been jailed for life after being found guilty of murdering his wife of just four days.

After three hours considering a verdict a jury at Teesside Crown Court convicted Butters, 41, of killing 19-year-old Claire Cummings.

During the week-long trial the court was told that Butter's stabbed his newlywed bride six times in bed at their home in Loftus, Cleveland.

During the trial the father of seven, who was married three times, admitted unlawfully killing his bride and claimed diminished responsibility.

The court was told Butters was an insomniac who had run out of sleeping tablets and killed his wife after three days without sleep.

After stabbing Claire he tried to kill himself first by hanging then by electrocution before finally trying to throw himself off cliffs into the sea near his home, but could not go through with it as he was afraid of heights.

As the jury returned their guilty verdict, there were cheers from the public gallery.

In a statement issued through Cleveland police the victim's family said: "In finding Butters guilty of murdering our daughter, the jury has found the truth and justice has been done.

"Life for us will never be the same again. An innocent, nave girl has had her life snatched away by a selfish, attention-seeking and possessive man who manipulated young women."

After the case Detective Inspector Steve Richards said: "Claire was a bright attractive 19-year-old and her violent death at the hands of a man she had only recently married had brought a legacy of horror, sadness and regret.

"I believe that Stephen Butters is a self-obsessed attention-seeking coward who was responsible for the brutal murder of his wife."