'Family from hell' get life terms

Ronald and Trudi Hudson were described as controlling and violent

Four family members and a teenager have been jailed for life for killing a mother they had tortured for months.

The five, described as the "family from hell", were found guilty of murdering Rachel Hudson, 20, whose body was found near Newstead Abbey, Notts, in 2004.

Rachel's husband Craig, 21, his brother Ronald Hudson Jnr, 23, along with their parents Ronald Hudson Snr, 49, and Trudi Hudson, 44, had denied murder.

Elisabeth Hogg, 19, was also convicted. Charlene Hudson, 18, was cleared.

Ronald Hudson Snr and Trudi were both told they will serve a minimum of 20 years in jail.

I have to say I have never seen anything like this Professor Guy Rutty Home Office pathologist

Ronald Hudson Jnr will serve at least 17 years, Craig Hudson and Elisabeth Hogg will spend a minimum of 14 years in prison.

Outside the court, Rachel's father, Barry Manger, said: "Since becoming part of the Hudson household, Rachel was gradually isolated from her family and friends.

"This trial has shown how manipulative and inhumanely cruel members of the Hudson family can be.

"They exhibit total disregard for human life and the feelings of individuals." Rachel, born Rachel Manger, came from Leicestershire, but moved to Nottingham after her marriage.

The court heard she was tortured, insulted and humiliated by the family after she moved in with them in Stockhill, Nottingham, in November 2002.

The family left Rachel covered in untreated injuries

Prosecutor Timothy Spencer described them as a "family from hell".

He painted a picture of Ronald and Trudi Hudson as a controlling, violent couple who kept a tight rein on their children and who disliked outsiders.

Rachel's battered body was found face down in mud near a lake just 17 months after her wedding.

She had suffered more than 60 injuries at their hands in the weeks before she died.

When she was found, 11 of her ribs were fractured and her mouth was so badly injured that her bottom lip had become detached from her skull.

You keep thinking why, why didn't I know something was going on? Doreen Peacock, Rachel's grandmother See inside the house

She had also suffered cigarette burns, scalds and heavy bruising as a result of countless attacks with a baseball bat and a piece of wood.

She eventually died of thrombosis caused by a blood clot in her brain that had been left untreated for weeks. It had been brought on by septicaemia, dehydration and repeated assault.

Home Office pathologist Professor Guy Rutty told the court it was the worst case he had ever seen.

He said: "I see a lot of people who have been beaten. I have to say I have never seen anything like this before."

Rachel Hudson's body was unrecognisable when it was found

Her family were told she had run off with another man.

Rachel's grandmother Doreen Peacock said: "You can't sleep, you're waking up in the night. You can see her there tied up, being beaten, and you keep thinking why, why didn't I know something was going on? Why didn't I go over there?"

Shane Hudson, 19, and Andrew Hudson-Makings, 33, were cleared of murder earlier in the trial on the direction of the judge.

Shane was convicted of conspiring to pervert the course of justice and jailed for four years.

Hudson-Makings was jailed for three years after admitting lying to police about Rachel's disappearance from Overdale Road.

Charlene and Emile Hudson, 17, were also convicted of conspiring to pervert the course of justice and will be sentenced later.