By Charlotte Webster-
An evil husband has received a life sentence for Nicholas Metson, who brutally murdered his wife Holly Bramley before dismembering her body and dumping the remains in a river.
Nicholas Metson, who admitted murder at Lincoln Crown Court, where he received a minimum term of 19 years and 316 days for the heinous crime.
His accomplice, Joshua Hancock, who aided in disposing of Ms Bramley’s remains, was sentenced to three years and three months in prison.
The court heard that Ms Bramley’s body was cut into more than 200 pieces, with parts discovered in the River Witham in March 2023. Despite efforts by police divers, some of her body parts were never recovered.
The cause of death could not be determined due to the gruesome manner in which her body was treated after the murder.
Metson’s actions were particularly chilling as he restrained his wife in a headlock before fatally stabbing her multiple times. Moments before her death, Ms Bramley bravely attempted to escape his grasp by biting his arm.
The judge condemned Metson’s actions as beyond excusable, noting that the extent of the dismemberment was far beyond what was necessary to dispose of the body.
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.
Adding to the horror, Metson displayed a callous behaviour after the murder, including searching the internet for instructions on disposing of a dead body and sending messages from Ms Bramley’s phone and social media accounts, falsely implicating her in mistreating him.
He then enlisted the help of Hancock, offering him money to assist in disposing of the remains.
Metson subsequently 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.”
In the aftermath of the sentencing, Ms Bramley’s family expressed a mix of emotions. While acknowledging that justice had been served, they emphasized that the pain of their loss remains raw.
They described Ms Bramley as a beautiful, kind, and loving individual, whose life was tragically cut short by domestic abuse.
The family’s message resonated with a broader call to raise awareness about domestic abuse and encourage victims to seek support.
They lamented the fact that Ms Bramley did not recognize the abuse she endured; this highlighting the importance of education and outreach in addressing this pervasive issue.