The man who murdered midwife Samantha Eastwood has been sentenced to life in prison.
Michael Stirling, 32, of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, will serve a minimum term of 17 years and 52 days.
The court heard that he killed the 28-year-old in an "intense rage", suffocating and strangling her before "panicking" and burying her body at a disused quarry.
Stirling, who was in a relationship with the victim and is the brother-in-law of her former fiance, pleaded guilty to the murder at a hearing in October.
His barrister said the killing had not been premeditated but followed a period of "growing tension" between the couple, that was followed by a row at her home in Greenside Avenue, Stoke.
"After a struggle and while she was on the floor, he put his hands over her throat, her mouth and nose, and as a result of that she died," Charles Miskin QC said of the murder.
"During his intense rage, he originally intended to cause her really serious bodily harm, but matters escalated and he carried out the intention to kill her."
Colleagues reported Ms Eastwood missing on 27 July, when she failed to turn up to a night shift at Royal Stoke University Hospital.
In the days after the alarm was raised Stirling tried to cover his tracks by using the victim's phone to send text messages to her family, and pretending to help in the search for her.
Ms Eastwood's body was found wrapped in a duvet with tape around her eyes and face, in a shallow grave in Caverswall, Staffordshire, eight days after she disappeared.
In the days after her disappearance Ms Eastwood's sister described her as a "wonderful woman and friend" who was "warm, friendly, loyal, kind and generous".
More from UK
Her family have said that her legacy would "live on" after her death and said she had worked hard to achieve her lifelong goal of becoming a midwife.
More follows…
[contf]
[contfnew]
Sky News
[contfnewc]
[contfnewc]
