A British teenager described as being obsessed with vampires, who cut out a pensioner's heart after repeatedly stabbing her, was jailed for 12 years after being found guilty of murder today.
Art student Mathew Hardman murdered 90-year-old Ms Mabel Leyshon as she watched television at home in the quiet north Wales village of Llanfairpwll last November.
The 17-year-old stabbed the elderly widow 22 times, cut out her heart and placed it next to two pokers arranged in the shape of a crucifix at the victim's feet, Mold Crown Court heard.
Prosecutor Roger Thomas told the court the student committed the murder in a bid to become immortal.
"We submit that in November 2001 he was fascinated by and believed in vampires," Mr Thomas said.
"He believed they existed, believed they drank human blood and believed most importantly that they could achieve immortality - and he wanted to be immortal."
The murder sent shockwaves through the tourist village of Llanfairpwll PG.
"The injuries are the worst I have seen in my career," Detective Superintendent Alan Jones told reporters after the murder.
North Wales Police deployed a 60-strong murder team who consulted experts in witchcraft and took DNA samples from more than 100 local people.
Detectives made a televised appeal which included a reconstruction of the events leading to the murder.
A breakthrough came in January this year when police arrested a youth in connection with the murder.
The suspect was charged two days later and denied the murder in court.