A man described as an “evil monster” has been sentenced to life in prison—with a minimum term of 19 years and 316 days—for stabbing his wife to death and dismembering her body in a case that shocked the nation.
Nicholas Metson, 28, murdered 26-year-old Holly Bramley in March 2023, stabbing her at least four times before cutting her body into more than 200 pieces and storing the remains in their 14th-floor Lincoln flat for a week. He then paid childhood friend Joshua Hancock £100 to help dump her body parts in the River Witham, reported The Daily Mail.
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The gruesome crime was uncovered when a walker spotted a human hand in the river, initially mistaking it for animal remains. Police later found Bramley’s dismembered remains in a “bag for life” near Bassingham, 10 miles from the couple’s home. Some of her body parts, including sections of her heart, were never recovered.
Metson, who pleaded guilty to murder and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, had attempted to cover up the killing by purchasing cleaning products and lying to police. Investigators discovered disturbing Google searches on his phone, including: “What benefits do I get if my wife has died?”, “Does God forgive murder?”, and “Can someone haunt me after they die?”
According to The Guardian, Judge Simon Hirst condemned Metson’s actions, stating: “Holly’s family and friends will never know how and why she was killed.” He dismissed Metson’s autism as an excuse for the extreme dismemberment, noting: “That number of parts was far from necessary to remove Holly’s parts from your flat.”
The court heard Metson had a history of abusive behavior, including killing Bramley’s puppy in a washing machine, putting her hamsters in a blender, and forcing her to flee to a police station to save her pet rabbits. He had prior convictions for domestic assault and revenge porn against previous partners.
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Hancock, who admitted obstructing a coroner and unrelated offenses, was jailed for three years and three months. Bramley’s family urged domestic abuse victims to seek help, saying: “We, as a family, are asking and encouraging anyone living with domestic abuse to seek support and tell someone. There are services out there that can help victims find the happiness and freedom they deserve.”
Forensic experts spent over 13 hours examining Bramley’s remains, but the extent of dismemberment made determining the exact cause of death impossible. Prosecutor Gordon Aspden KC said: “In short, after murdering Holly, he destroyed her.”
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