Man who killed three ex-partners has sentence increased

A man who killed three former partners has had his minimum sentence increased at the Appeal Court.

Theodore Johnson brutally murdered 51-year-old Angela Best at his north London home after she ended their 20-year relationship and met another man.

He beat her with a claw hammer and strangled her with a dressing gown cord after she went to his flat to help him with a passport application in December 2016.

The 54-year-old had two previous manslaughter convictions after killing his wife in 1981 and another former partner in 1992.

He was jailed for life at the Old Bailey in January and ordered to serve at least 26 years behind bars for Miss Best's murder.

But three senior judges ruled on Thursday that the sentence was "unduly lenient" and increased his tariff to 30 years following an application by Solicitor General Robert Buckland.

Lord Justice Holroyde said: "We accept the submission of the Solicitor General that the sentencing of Mr Johnson was unduly lenient."