A Pitsea man has been jailed for 21 years for the "unspeakable" murder of his girlfriend.

Gary Bennett, 37, of Caister Driver, Pitsea has been sentenced today at Basildon Crown Court after being guilty of the murder of Madison Wright, 30, at Basildon Crown Court yesterday.

Ms Wright, 30, of Pitsea, went missing on the morning of Friday, July 22.

On Saturday, July 30 a body was discovered at Wat Tyler Country Park, which was cordoned off from the public for several days. 

During the trial, the jury were told Bennett killed his girlfriend, put her body in the boot of her own car, and drove around in it for a few days before burying her in Wat Tyler Park.

The court's just heard a victim impact statement from Madison's mother Louise Bailey which says: "Our whole family are victims of the defendant. That one moment of evil resulted in lost for our family.

"What ever the sentence the defendant gets, we have been given a life sentence. It was a miserable, unhappy and sad year for the whole family with a number of events that we would have rather ignored.

"Madison will always be missed by the family and every time we get together there is a feeling that someone is missing."

Judge Samantha Leigh said: "Nothing I can say can take away the utter devestation felt by her family. I am satisfied her messaged about controlling behaviour are true.

"You shouted at the jury 'how dare you. There is no evidence.' I am satisfied that you strangled her probably with your bare hands.

"What you did was unspeakable, you snuffed out the life of a woman who say was your world and you destroyed the lives of her family. Your attitude was if I can't have you noone else can."