On Thursday, Andrew Burfield was jailed for life, with a minimum of 32 years for the brutal, pre-mediated and cold blooded murder of his ex-girlfriend, Katie Kenyon.

Following the sentence hearing at Preston Crown Court, the lead detective in the case, DCI Allen Davies, spoke to us outside court about the investigation.

DCI Davies said this was the most "harrowing worse case I've seen throughout my time as a police officer, not just because of the violent and ferocious nature of the attack but also the level of pre-meditation."

More than 150 officers were deployed to work on the murder investigation, and trying to locate Katie in Gisburn Forest took an extensive resource.

DCI Davies also said that should the trial have continued, the jury would have been told about the evidence in relation to Burfield's planning, including drafted messages that contained murderous intent which he cruelly sent to Katie's children, as well as the level of complexity in relation to the grave he dug for the 33-year-old in Gisburn Forest, which was "something beyond the sphere that I've ever seen previously and also that archeologists and botanists had seen".

Earlier, alongside members of Katie's family, DCI Davies read out a statement, in which he branded Burfield a "hideous coward" and a "vile individual".

He said: "Nothing can ever bring Katie back. 

"Andrew Burfield is a callous, cold, manipulative individual, he's a vile individual, who meticulously planned the murder of Katie to a manner I have never seen before and hope never to see again.

"He then went on to brutally and savagely attack Katie but his offending went far beyond that.

"His offending throughout the course of their relationship was one of manipulation and mental torture for Katie.

"In contrast Katie is a loving, caring mother of two who never deserved this to happen.

"Mr Burfield is a bully and controlled Katie throughout the relationship. She expressed concern throughout that relationship that Mr Burfield represented a risk to her and she expressed that to her family.

"If you are in a relationship and have concerns about your partner I would request that you contact the police and make a Clare's Law application.

"The family have given me a few words I will read on her behalf:

"Katie was beautiful and silly, she had a truly beautiful soul. She always surrounded herself with children, her own and anybody else's wanted to join in.

"She would take kids and the dogs everywhere with her, she even tried to set up a summer camp for the local children.

"She loved the outdoors and she loved people.

"We miss her, we miss her very much beyond words and we will never get to express our loss."

If you have concerns about somebody you, a family member, friend or neighbour is in a relationship with you can make a domestic violence disclosure request under the Clare’s Law scheme.

If you would like to make a request, you can do so by calling police on 101 or by visiting your local police station.

https://www.lancashire.police.uk/help-advice/personal-safety/domestic-violence-disclosure-scheme-clares-law/