Moving personal statements were read out in court today at the sentencing hearing of Thomas Nutt.

He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years after being convicted of murder-ing his bride Dawn Walker on their wedding night, packing her body into a suitcase and dumping it.

Miss Walker’s daughter, Kiera-Lee Guest, was cruelly deceived by Nutt into searching Brighouse with him for her mother who he had already murdered.

He told Miss Guest she must be ‘doing a Halloween trick’ by going missing on October 31.

Miss Guest read out a statement at Bradford Crown Court saying her mother was a great support and always there for her.

“This man took the most beautiful soul,” she said.

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“He’s the most selfish person I know. What he did to my Mum is beyond cruel.”

  • Miss Walker did a full man’s job by his side before doing all the housework and cooking, yet he ‘beat and disrespected her.’ “She was a good honest person who liked to do all she could for people,” Miss Guest said.

    She herself had gone from place to place with Nutt in Brighouse asking if anyone had seen her mother, while all the time Nutt knew he had killed her.

    After murdering her mother he put up Halloween decorations. Miss Guest said she didn’t know how she was going to face seeing similar decorations this year.

    “Justice will be served for my beautiful mother,” she said.

    Lisa Walker, Dawn’s younger sister, said they were a close-knit family and losing her had a massive impact on all their lives.

    “Dawn was a huge part of our lives and a big piece of the jigsaw is missing,” she stated.

    She labelled Nutt manipulative and said he took every bit of dignity away from Dawn and then forced her into a suitcase and dumped her body with what seemed like no re-morse.

    Miss Walker’s three daughters were her world, her life and her strength,’ her sister said.

    They would be affected for the rest of their lives, having to live daily knowing she would never be on the end of the phone for them.

    “I wonder every day if she knew how truly loved she was by all of us,” Lisa Walker said.

    Nutt had made Dawn feel worthless. She was manipulated and then treated in such an undignified way.

    She was completely controlled by Nutt who diminished her self-worth so much that she believed his treatment of her was what she deserved.

    He was a coward who tried to cover up what he had done.

    “Why couldn’t you just tell us that you did it on the wedding night?” she asked him.

  • Miss Walker’s eldest daughter Codie said:  “Losing our mother, sister, daughter, nanna and auntie has had a huge impact on our lives. There are no words to describe how it feels for us every single day, waking up knowing what this person did to her; it is truly heart breaking for each and every one of us.

    “We will have to live with his actions for the rest of our lives. Could we have done more to protect her from him? I pray he is never allowed to do this to another family.

    “Today he is finally held accountable for his actions, and he is never allowed to abuse, manipulate or take away the life of another woman.

    “We would like to thank family and friends for their support during this time but also the police and prosecution team for helping us fight for justice for Dawn. Please respect our privacy at this time as we process the outcome of today.”

    Miss Walker’s sister Tracy said: “I have no words to say how I feel. My sister was very special to me; she used to call me angel.

    “My life will never be the same. I was very close to my sister and have been in intensive counselling.

    “I feel for my whole family especially for my nieces.”