Two life terms for gran's killer

Brown's defence was dismissed by the judge as "wholly spurious"

A teenager who murdered a 79-year-old grandmother after raping her has been given two life sentences.

Lee Brown, now 19, stabbed Joan Biggs repeatedly then left her body to burn on the cooker in her bungalow.

He claimed he was acting under the influence of a "Thingy" when he carried out the attack.

But at Northampton Crown Court on Wednesday Mr Justice Goldring rejected Brown's claims of mental illness.

The judge said the killer had a psychopathic disorder and his defence case had been based on a "wholly spurious explanation of auditory hallucination".

Brown had admitted a lesser charge of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

I have no doubt she confronted you because you lost your temper and your control and because of that subjected her to horrifying violence Mr Justice Goldring

The jury rejected his claims that he was hearing voices at the time of the attack and found him guilty of murder by a 10-2 majority on Tuesday.

Brown will serve a life sentence for the murder of Mrs Biggs, whose body was found at her bungalow in Carlton Gardens, Northampton, exactly a year ago.

The judge set a minimum term of 20 years in prison.

Brown was also given a concurrent life sentence for the rape and four years for burglary.

The judge said: "The facts of this case speak for themselves. You are, and will continue to be, a continuing danger to women.

"Mrs Biggs was particularly vulnerable because of her age. She suffered considerable sexual degradation before she died.

Destroy evidence

"I have no doubt she confronted you because you lost your temper and your control and because of that subjected her to horrifying violence.

"Having raped her you killed her. In doing so you repeatedly stabbed and cut her in the area of her neck.

"Your intention, I have no doubt, was to kill her.

"You took Mrs Biggs's body from the bedroom to the kitchen and placed her on the cooker to destroy the evidence of what you had done."