VICIOUS murderer David Stevenson was jailed for life on Wednesday after a jury convicted him of the killing of Poole masseuse Angela Chiu.

Stevenson, 39, of Thorne Close, Verwood, was impassive as the jury of seven women and four men gave their verdict.

But sobs were heard coming from the public gallery where both his family and that of Angela Chiu had kept a daily vigil during the 13 day trial.

After the verdict Winchester Crown Court heard that David Stevenson had also faced two charges involving Bournemouth prostitutes.

Prosecutor Michael Parroy told the court the Crown did not intend to proceed with a charge of going equipped with a knife and plastic handcuffs to commit robbery or a second charge of robbery committed on a prostitute, he said.

The judge ordered the charges to lie on file.

Sentencing Stevenson to a minimum of 19 years, Mr Justice David Steel said the verdict would bring some measure of satisfaction, if not comfort, to Mrs Chiu's family.

"It is likely this murder was a vicious and prolonged attack with a weapon with sexual, if not sadistic, overtones and was associated with robbery," he said.

Care worker Stevenson, a former lance corporal in the Royal Anglian Regiment, had admitted going to Mrs Chiu's house on July 30, 2003.

But he claimed they had consensual sex and he denied murdering her.

The jury had heard earlier that Stevenson's DNA was found in the locked bathroom of Mrs Chiu's luxury home where her body - which had been stabbed six times - was found.

And Mrs Chiu's blood had been found on a map in his possession, it was said.

First published: February 10