Holly Bramley murder: 'Evil monster' who dismembered wife's body jailed

An "evil monster" who stabbed his wife to death and then dismembered her body before dumping her remains in a river days later has been jailed for life.

Holly Bramley's body was cut into more than 200 pieces and parts were found in the River Witham in March 2023.

Nicholas Metson, who admitted murder, was handed a minimum term of 19 years and 316 days at Lincoln Crown Court.

His friend, Joshua Hancock, who helped dispose of Ms Bramley's remains almost a week later has also been jailed.

Hancock was sentenced to three years and three months in prison and was issued a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

Warning: Some readers may find details in this story distressing

Speaking outside court, Ms Bramley's family, who had described Metson as an "evil monster", said the sentencing was "by no means closure but it is a milestone in the process of our grief and healing".

Sentencing 28-year-old Metson, of Shuttleworth House, Lincoln, His Honour Judge Simon Hirst told him: "The cause of death cannot be established given how you treated Holly's body after you killed her."

Police divers recovered 224 remains of Ms Bramley's body after they were kept hidden in the couple's Shuttleworth House flat, but some of her body parts were never found, the court heard.

The couple met in 2016 and later married in 2021 but were on the verge of separating when Metson, who has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), carried out the murder, prosecutors had said.

On 17 March 2023 Metson had stabbed his 26-year-old wife multiple times in the bedroom before moving to the bathroom where she was dismembered.

Her remains were then stored in the kitchen larder for nearly a week before they were disposed of in the River Witham at Bassingham, the court heard.

Moments before the murder, Metson restrained his wife "in a headlock" but she bit his arm "in a desperate attempt to escape his grasp", the judge said.

The judge told Metson: "The number of [body] parts was far beyond necessary to remove Holly from your flat, and is not excusable by your autistic spectrum disorder.

"The fact that some parts of Holly remained missing I consider it to be an extremely aggravating factor."

He said Metson's failure to give "any adequate explanation" for how and why he had killed his wife, then dismembered and hid her body "must have caused continuing agony and anguish for Holly's family and friends".

The court heard Metson had told "a pack of lies" to police when they visited the flat on 24 March 2023 after a report of concern for Ms Bramley's welfare.

In the days after the killing, Metson searched the internet for "how to dispose of a dead body" and messaged his wife's family and friends using her phone and social media accounts "confessing she had treated [Metson] badly", the judge said.

He paid Hancock, a school friend who also has ASD and learning difficulties, £100 to help him dispose of her remains, which Metson had placed in plastics bags and dumped in the river. They were subsequently spotted by a passer-by in the evening of 25 March.

Following sentencing, Ms Bramley's sister, Sarah-Jayne Lindop, said the loss of her sister was "still raw" but "justice has finally been served".

"Our dear sweet Holly was a beautiful, caring, innocent soul who had a kindness and warmth that affected everyone she met.

"Sadly, meeting the man who cruelly took her life was just the beginning of a rocky road for Holly as she embarked on a life of domestic abuse and, despite our trying, as a family we never managed to save her from that."

The family urged anyone living with domestic abuse to seek support.

"We miss Holly so much our hearts are broken. But, if anything, we need her death to highlight that domestic abuse is not ok. If she had recognised that this was what she was being subjected to, we may have her home with us now."

Metson, who had prior convictions for offences against former partners in 2013, 2016 and 2017, previously admitted conspiracy to pervert the course of justice by disposing of Ms Bramley's body.

He originally denied murder but later pleaded guilty when he appeared at Lincoln Crown Court last month.

Hancock, also 28, of Walnut Close, Waddington, pleaded guilty to obstructing the Lincolnshire Coroner in the execution of his duty by helping to dispose of Ms Bramley's body and an unrelated sex offence.

Sentencing Hancock, the judge said he was "motivated by money".

If you've been affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line

Follow BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].