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Taxi Driver Christopher Halliwell Thanks Judge After Receiving Life Sentence For Becky Godden Murder

By Lawrence Arboleda
Published on: 01:06 PST, Sep 23, 2016

A double killer taxi driver has been given a life sentence for strangling a sex worker to death. His reaction to the verdict, however, was unexpected as he smugly thanked the judge for sending him to prison where he is fated to spend the rest of his life.

Christopher Halliwell, 52, was told that he will die behind bars for killing Becky Godden, who was declared missing in 2003. Halliwell is already serving life in prison for the murder of another woman.

Retired High Court judge Sir John Griffith Williams passed the sentence at Bristol Crown Court today before describing the suspect’s account of what happened to Godden as a “cock and bull story.”

“Your account of the circumstances in which she met her death bears all the hallmarks of a contrived explanation designed to avoid conviction in the hope that the minimum term you are presently serving will not be increased,” Williams added.

“But the account in which you advanced so glibly with little or no regard to the truth made no sense at all.

“I have had the opportunity of observing you throughout the trial and listening to your evidence. I have no doubt that you are a self-centered and domineering individual who wants his own way. You are both calculating and devious.”

The judge then told Christopher that he would die in prison. As Halliwell was led away after the verdict, he told the judge, “Thank you.”

Halliwell also admitted to the killing of Sian O’Callaghan, 22, whom he abducted in his taxi as she made her way home after a night out in Swindon in March 2011.

After guiding the police to the site where he dumped O’Callaghan’s body, he offered “another one,” leading them to where he buried Becky.

Christopher would later deny killing Godden but was charged with murder after a two-week trial at Bristol Crown Court.

Godden, a sex worker struggling with drug addiction, vanished after a night out in Swindon.

Jurors heard Godden had an argument with Halliwell before she went into his taxi.

Before proceeding with the hearing, the judge complimented Miss Godden’s family for their “quiet dignity and courtesy.”

“You have had to live with every parent’s nightmare of a missing child and then the discovery that she had been dead for some years, buried naked in a field.

“You have been deprived of the opportunity we all want to say farewell to our closest and dearest. And then you have had to live through the criminal processes as Christopher Halliwell was brought eventually to justice.

“There must have been moments when you wondered whether the case would ever be completed. If I may say so, you have behaved throughout with quiet dignity and courtesy.”

The police believe that Halliwell may have killed many others around the country. They also said that they received new information from concerned citizens since he was convicted.

Haliwell, who appeared uncaring in the dock during the hearing, smirked at Godden’s family after he received the verdict.

Halliwell’s initial confession to Godden’s murder had been ruled inadmissible on account of a breach in police guidelines committed by Detective Superintendent Steve Fulcher while interviewing suspects.

The murder charge was withdrawn until March this year after Wiltshire Police conducted an investigation.

Fulcher left the force after being disciplined over the cautioning issue, but was later hailed a hero by Godden’s mother for finding her daughter’s body.

The former detective now works as a consultant in Somialia and is writing a book to give his account of what happened during the investigation of Godden’s death. The book is set to be released next year.

Police said they are certain Halliwell could have claimed more victims. The twisted convict even asked a fellow prisoner how many women a person has to kill to be branded as a serial killer.

[Featured Image by AlexStar/Thinkstock]

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