THE MINIMUM jail term of 37 years handed to convicted murderer Jack Crawley delivers justice for the victim and his family, says the officer who led the high-profile investigation.

Speaking after the sentencing, Senior Investigation Officer Detective Superintendent Ian Hussey said: “I am pleased that our investigation has resulted in justice for Paul and his family.

“Paul was the victim of a premediated and calculated attack by Crawley who arrived to meet Paul prepared to commit a serious act of violence.

“Paul’s body was then taken to a remote woodland near Carlisle and hidden in undergrowth with Crawley only finally admitting where he’d concealed Paul’s body several months after he’d been charged with murder.

“From the very start of this, Crawley has lied about his actions – from initially denying even knowing Paul, to later denying he murdered him, instead concocting a story around self-defence.

“Today, Crawley is behind bars where he rightly belongs, and he will now spend a considerable amount of his adult life in prison.

“I would like to offer my deepest condolences to Paul’s family and friends for their loss.

“I can only imagine what they have had to go through over the past year and an I would like to commend them for remaining dignified and composed throughout the whole investigation and trial, despite being forced to hear some shocking and hurtful evidence.

“Again, I would finally like to thank all the officers, staff, prosecuting counsel the Crown Prosecution Service and our Crown Prosecution colleagues whose hard work on these investigations has allowed us to successfully prosecute Crawley for his crimes and get justice for Paul’s loved ones.”

In a statement, police said they encouraged anyone with concerns relating to incidents linked to the investigation to contact Cumbria Police.

"We would also encourage anyone who is part of the ‘MSM’ community and believes they may have been targeted by Crawley or anyone else, to come forward," added a spokesman.

All reports will be dealt with the highest degree of sensitivity and privacy. Make a report here: www.cumbria.police.uk/report-it or call 101.

Crawley was also sentenced for possession of an offensive weapon and burglary. He received two four-month custodial sentences, to be served concurrently.

* MSM means 'men who have sex with men'.