A FORMER schoolfriend of Andrew Lindo – jailed for life yesterday for the brutal murder of his fiancee – last night described him as a manipulative sociopathic charmer who was prone to mood swings.

The 29-year-old, originally from Stockton, displayed no emotion as he was sentenced to a minimum 22 years in prison for the murder of teaching assistant Marie Stewart, the mother of his two children.

Lindo, who led a double life dating a string of women, strangled, battered and stabbed the 30-year-old to death last December before storing her body in a flight bag for seven weeks in the garage of their home in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire.

Hours later, the music teacher put their two children in his car and collected his latest lover, Angela Rylance, before they spent the night in the bedroom where the murder began.

Sentencing him, Mr Justice Andrew Smith, said Lindo showed a “chilling lack of remorse’’ and described him as having an ‘‘extraordinary cunning and facility for deceit’’.

Speaking afterwards, Marie Stewart’s father, Robert, said: “It is difficult to imagine a more gut-wrenching experience than to be told that your daughter’s body has been found in the garage of their family home.

‘‘This, compounded by the fact that Andrew Lindo, her so called ‘partner’, had first killed her in the most violent manner and then allowed her body to remain undiscovered for over seven weeks, while he continued within his own fantasy world.

‘‘Andrew Lindo has blighted the lives of his two children forever and caused irreparable pain to us all.

‘‘It saddens me enormously that one day very soon his children will have to know exactly what he did to their mother and that we are left to pick up the consequences of his actions.”

Lindo was educated at Our Lady and St Bede’s School in Stockton, before studying Alevel music, English and general studies at St Mary’s Sixth Form College, Middlesbrough.

He played the tuba with Cleveland Youth Orchestra and appeared in several local bands.

Last night a former school friend, who asked not to be named, told The Northern Echo: “He was very clever and articulate and got on with everyone. Those closer to him knew he could sometimes have a bit of a temper and was prone to moods if things didn’t go his own way.”

Lindo tried to portray himself to the jury at Bradford Crown Court as a downtrodden but devoted father, when in reality he was having numerous affairs.

Miss Stewart’s body was not found for seven weeks, during which time he conned her family into believing she was still alive and had run off with another man.

The judge said Lindo’s claim that Miss Stewart, who cared for children with special needs, was mistreating their daughter, was ‘‘despicable fiction’’.

Lindo admitted manslaughter, but was convicted of murder.

He had claimed he lost control following a row with Miss Stewart after accusing her of mistreating their daughter.

Lindo did not give evidence but described to police how he strangled Miss Stewart then, when she was still making noises, hit her with a child’s chair and tried to choke her.

He then dragged her down to the garage in a suitcase before stabbing her 12 times.