Man jailed for flat blaze murder

A drug addict has been found guilty of murdering 18-year-old Kylee Dibble in Bristol.

Nicky Robinson 24, of Tyler Street, The Dings, Bristol, was sentenced to life imprisonment and told he must serve a minimum of 16 years.

Bristol Crown Court heard Robinson took money from Ms Dibble's flat for drugs before beating her to death and setting fire to the home in Barton Hill.

Her remains were found after the fire in February 2005.

Robinson had previously denied her murder.

Ms Dibble, 18, who worked in a nightclub, had a casual relationship with the defendant for a few weeks after they met in the laundry room of the flats.

"The pain and suffering he inflicted upon her still makes me feel sick and always will do"
Lesley Woodhouse, mother

She let him into her flat at around 0600 GMT that Monday morning. Her body was found by firefighters called to the blaze two-and-a-half hours later.

Robinson was arrested in April 2007 after being interviewed three times by police, who in the course of their two-and-a-half-year investigation, arrested and released 10 other people.

Ms Dibble's mother Lesley Woodhouse said family and friends were pleased with the result of the trial.

'Empty place'

She said: "I know that Kylee would have put up a good fight but it would all have been in vain, as I don't feel she stood any chance of surviving.

"Kylee was a kind and caring young girl who enjoyed life and living. She was always there when anybody needed help and the world is an empty place without her.

"My life as it was, will never be the same again. He did not just take Kylee, he took a part of me that I will never get back.

"As Kylee's mum, I will never forgive him for what he did to her. The pain and suffering he inflicted upon her still makes me feel sick and always will do."

Det Ch Insp Stephen Tunks from Avon and Somerset Constabulary said: "Throughout the inquiry the investigation team has taken great strength from Kylee's family who have remained supportive of the lengthy and complex police investigation.

"We hope that today's outcome will provide some sort of closure for Kylee's family."

During the inquiry detectives viewed 1,200 hours of CCTV footage, spoke to more than 4,000 people, carried out 6,000 inquiries and took 1,500 statements.

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