A jealous boyfriend who murdered his lover was jailed for life today.

Peter Killeen, 57, attacked Susan Carr, 38, so savagely she was unrecognisable to her own mother and could only be identified by her deformed toe.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how Killeen's "fits of jealousy" together with his possessiveness of her climaxed in her horrific killing on July 7 last year.

The mother of two had over 70 injuries to her body with deep stab wounds in her neck and abdomen as well as a broken nose and a fractured skull.

During the prolonged attack she suffered "scores of punches and slaps" and was unrecognisable to family who had to identify her body.

Her mother could only be sure she was looking at her daughter's body when she saw her deformed toe.

Killeen tried to avoid a murder charge by turning the knife on himself and then taking a botched overdose - stating in a would-be suicide note that she had attacked him with the blade.

He even told the emergency operator "If only she had not done that" when he called an ambulance to his home after the killing.

But forensic evidence quickly proved his wounds were self inflicted and the overdose would not prove fatal.

Prosecutor Paul Sloan QC told the court how the killing happened when the couple rowed after returning to his home from a night out together.

Mr Sloan said; "Blood staining at the scene indicates Susan Carr was first attacked in the living room.

"She managed to move across the hall to the bedroom where she was subjected to a further prolonged attack, mainly in the corner of the room.

"It was in that area her body was subsequently discovered by emergency services.

"The post mortem revealed this was an unusually severe and prolonged attack during which Susan Carr, who was five foot seven, suffered multiple blunt force injuries to her head, face and neck.

"She had multiple lacerated wounds to her head, face and neck as well as a number of stab wounds, mainly to her neck."

The court heard how Susan had a number of injuries to her arms and hands - proving she tried to put off a fight to ward off her attacker.

Mr Sloan told the court how Susan had ended the relationship in October 2003 after a violent row resulted in damage being caused at her home in Hazel Terrace, Craghead, County Durham.

She installed CCTV to protect her property, changed the locks at her home and started taking taxis to avoid bumping into him.

She applied to Derwentside Council to be rehoused in a bid to get away from Killeen, who lived just around the corner at Palm Terrace, and told them: "I still dont feel safe, I can't sleep because of what he might do".

Despite her fears, Susan agreed to give Killeen, who was mourning the death of his third wife, another chance.

But after a night out together at the local British Legion club on July 6 last year Susan met her death in the "prolonged and horrendously brutal attack".

Mr Sloan said: "At 11.30pm they left the club together and were seen walking arm in arm as they made their way towards his home.

"At about 11.45pm neighbours saw the two approaching Palm Terrace cuddling, laughing and seeming happy and relaxed.

"That was the last time Susan Carr was seen alive. Thereafter only Peter Killeen can say what really happened."

Killeen, initially denied murder but changed his plea to guilty earlier this week.

His barrister Ben Nolan QC said when Killeen formed the relationship with Susan in February 2003 he was still mourning the death of his wife in December 2002.

Killeen told his legal team the relationship was "champion 90 per cent of the time" but admitts it was turbulent at times.

He denies the relationship was ever abusive.

Killeen claims to have no memory of the actual killing.

Judge David Hodson sentenced Killeen to life behind bars and ordered he must serve at least twelve-and-a-half years minus the time he had already spent on remand before being eligible to apply for parole.

The judge told him: "She made a brave and determined attempt to defend herself from this vicious attack but in the end she was overpowered by what you had done to her."

Speaking after the hearing Susan's mother Thelma Cruddas said: "He stabbed her a number of times and brutally beat her until she was unrecognisable.

"I could not even see it was her. It was not until I noticed her deformed toe I realised it was definately Susan.

"The sentence was in no way long enough - in this case life should mean life, that is until the day he dies."