Five years added to Belfast man's murder term

A chef who knifed his former girlfriend to death was today ordered to spend at least five more years in jail.

A chef who knifed his former girlfriend to death was today ordered to spend at least five more years in jail.

Conor Doyle (23) had his minimum prison term increased from 10 years to 15 at the Northern Ireland Appeal Court after a campaign by his victim's family.

Doyle stabbed Angela Snoddy (21) up to 75 times following an alcohol-fuelled row at her home near Belfast in October 2002.

With the mother of two's relatives outraged by the length of time Doyle, of Limestone Road, north Belfast, must serve behind bars before being considered for parole, the Attorney General sent the case to the three appeal judges.

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Deciding that the original tariff set on the life sentence for murder was too lenient, the Lord Chief Justice, Sir Brian Kerr, said: "What is clear, beyond question, is that she was the victim of a horrendous, sustained attack in which a number of knives were used."

The couple's baby son was just seven weeks old, while the victim also had a three-year-old daughter at the time of the killing.

Doyle had been out drinking heavily before driving in his father's car to his former partner's home at Whiteabbey where the attack took place. Police later found Doyle covered in blood after being called to a car crash in a nearby housing estate.

In court it was said that the killer declared: "I have killed her, she will not take my child away from me." He also remarked: "At least I will see my child in 20 years' time. She won't."