LOVELORN Gary Thompson contemplated killing his ex-girlfriend before committing suicide so they could be together, a court heard yesterday.

But the 25-year-old was so filled with rage that, upon seeing her mother, he decided to kill her instead using a lump hammer and a kitchen knife.

Gillian Raine, who Thompson blamed for the break-up with her daughter, Pamela, was bludgeoned to death yards from her home in Coleridge Gardens, Dipton, County Durham, at about 7.30am on January 24.

Newcastle Crown Court heard he had lain in wait for her to leave her home unsure of what to do, as she stopped to talk to neighbour Vicky Hopper.

He decided to murder Mrs Raine to get her back and hurt her daughter so he ran ahead and confronted her.

Simon Myers, prosecuting, said: “Mrs Hopper noticed the defendant behind Mrs Raine, who said ‘call the police now, he is going to kill me’.”

“Mrs Hopper saw that he had a hammer in his right hand. He lifted it up and brought it down onto the centre of Mrs Raine’s head with such force that the impact could be heard.

“Mrs Raine fell to the ground face-first without even being able to put her hands out to break her fall and began to bleed from her nose or mouth.”

Thompson kicked her back to the ground as she tried to sit up then stabbed her in the face and throat. He stabbed her once more in the chest with such force that the blade snapped.

When Mrs Hopper asked why he was doing this he replied: “She deserves it.”

While 53-year-old Mrs Raine lay dying in a pool of blood, Thompson calmly called the police and confessed to the killing and waited to be arrested.

The court heard Thompson, of Castleside, Consett, has learning difficulties emotional and social problems and is of low intelligence.

He is prone to bouts of heavy drinking and contemplated suicide following the break down of his relationship with 22-year-old Pamela, who has Asperger’s syndrome.

Psychologist Dr Rajesh Nadkarni said: “He was obsessively in love with Pamela and had formed quite a deep attachment. He could not cope with the rejection.”

Thomson, who was unemployed, initially denied murder but admitted manslaughter, but changed his plea to guilty on the day of his trial.

Mitigating, David Robson QC said: “He was undoubtedly in love and her mother did not see him to be the most suitable person.”

Judge James Goss sentenced him to life in prison with a minimum term of 18 years, less the 282 days he has already served.

Thompson, who wore a suit and tie for he hearing, showed no emotion as the sentence was read out, but appeared to shrug as he was led away.

He said: “It was a brutal and intentional killing in which your victim will have suffered.

“Her loss has had a marked impact on those left behind.

“No sentence can undo what you did.”