Man Guilty of Wife's Murder

A man convicted of murdering his wife has been told he'll serve at least 22 years in prison.

28 year old Nicky Ward of Chapel Street in Rockland St Peter, was found guilty this afternoon of the murder of 22-year-old Emma Ward at their home in June last year.

After she was reported missing by her family, an investigation by Norfolk police found he'd killed her then redecorated their home to try and cover it up.

Speaking at Norwich Crown Court after today's verdict they said; " Today justice has been done. 

"The last year has been the most traumatic and stressful time for us all as a family.  I cannot begin to imagine the pain and terror Emma must have felt.  It is so unbearable to think about. 

"We are all truly devastated by having my sister (daughter) taken from us in such a cruel way.  We have not been able to grieve for Emma because we do not know where she is.  All we want is to be given the opportunity to say our final goodbyes and let her rest in peace.  If Nick Ward has any remorse he must do the decent thing and tell us where he has put our daughter.

"Emma was a beautiful young woman, a fantastic sister and a truly loved daughter. She will be so missed by all. 

"Emma will never be forgotten.  She will always be loved and will always be in our thoughts. 

"Finally [we] would like to thank the police for their continued support and tremendous efforts in bringing Emma's killer to justice."

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Luckett, MIT, who lead the investigation, commented on the conviction, saying: “I am obviously pleased that Nicky Ward has been convicted of Emma’s murder and brings to a successful conclusion this part of the investigation.  This is a tragic case and until we find Emma her family and friends will never be able to achieve any real closure. Despite extensive searches, to date, we have not found her. Only one person knows where she is and that person is Nicky Ward. I hope that he will now have the decency to tell me where Emma is.

“I would like to pay tribute to Emma’s family for the courage and quiet dignity they have displayed in extremely difficult circumstances and to the prosecution, investigation and forensic teams for their diligence and perseverance in a challenging investigation.”

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