Norwich: Man Sentenced To 20 Years In Secure Unit For Tenerife Murder

28 February 2013, 15:39 | Updated: 28 February 2013, 17:19

A man who murdered a Norwich grandmother in Tenerife has been sentenced to 20 years in a secure unit in Spain.

60-year-old Jennifer Mills Westley was attacked and beheaded by 29-year-old Deyan Deyanov.

He's been given the maximum sentence the judge could give.

The Bulgarian was found guilty of the murder of Mrs Mills-Westley by a jury last week.

She had worked at Norfolk County Council as a Road Safety Officer before moving to Tenerife to retire but was attacked as she shopped in Los Christianos in May 2010.

Homeless drug addict Deyanov will now spend 20-years in a secure psychiatric unit.

During a four-day trial, Deyanov denied murder and said he did not recognise himself in CCTV footage of the attack shown to the jury.

He also claimed to hear voices which tell him he is an "angel of Jesus Christ'', sent to create a new Jerusalem.

In her written sentence Ms Garcia Sanchez said she took into account the "criminal danger'' Deyanov represented.

She said Ms Mills-Westley had had no chance given the "forceful and unexpected'' nature of the attack she suffered.

"Frequently, homicidal intent is something which must be inferred,'' she added.

"In this case, homicidal intent exists without a doubt and inferences are unnecessary.''