Life for 'depraved' murder

Victim was found in her home

A County Londonderry man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a pensioner 21 years ago.

Steven Shepherd, 47, from Portstewart, was sentenced to serve a minimum of 14 years at Antrim Crown Court on Monday.

Eighty-two-year-old spinster Vera Waring's body was found at her Bushmills' home in the early hours of 1 January 1982.

It is believed she had suffered a heart attack after being subjected to a brutal sexual assault.

Vera Waring was found dead at her home in Bushmills

Mr Justice Gillen said: "This was a depraved and heartless attack on a vulnerable and elderly lady alone and defenceless within the sanctity of her own home."

He said that Mr Shepherd "subjected her to a violent assault and unspeakable humiliation - the full extent of which may never emerge".

Last November, a jury unanimously found Mr Shepherd of Castleton Park, Portstewart, guilty of killing Ms Waring.

The jury was told that after the development of DNA testing a blood sample was checked again and led to Mr Shepherd's arrest.

The blood was found at the home of Ms Waring when a window was broken to get into her house, in December 1981.

Vera Waring had been the organist at Dunluce Church of Ireland Parish Church in Bushmills for 25 years.

On New Year's Eve in 1981, she had been due to attend a midnight service at the church.

She failed to turn up for it and the next day the local rector went to her house where he found her body.