Nicholas Metson: ‘Evil monster’ who cut his wife’s body into 224 pieces jailed for life
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An “evil monster” who cut his wife’s body into more than 200 pieces has been jailed for life.
Nicholas Metson had admitted to murdering 26-year-old Holly Bramley in March 2023. Afterwards, he paid a friend £50 to help him dump her remains in a river.
The 28-year-old stabbed his wife at least four times before dismembering and storing her body parts for a week in the kitchen larder of their Lincoln flat.
Prosecutors described Metson as “twisted and barbaric”, saying that the way he cut his wife into at least 224 separate pieces went “far beyond what was needed to move the body”.
A court was told that Ms Bramley’s remains were discovered by a member of the public who initially thought they belonged to an animal.
Metson had told Lincolnshire Police that his wife had left their home with members of a local mental health crisis team – but officers noticed a “strong smell of bleach” and found bloodstained sheets, as well as a saw on a towel.
After being charged with Ms Bramley’s murder, an examination of Metson’s phone revealed he had made Google searches for “how to get rid of a dead body”, “what benefits can I get if my wife dies” and “does God forgive murder”.
Following her death, the killer messaged Ms Bramley’s friends from her Facebook profile to trick them into thinking she was still alive – and sent himself money from her bank account.
CCTV footage showed Metson moving a large number of bags from his 14th-floor flat in the early hours of 25 March last year.
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Metson was sentenced to a minimum term of 19 years and 316 days behind bars.
Victim was a ‘much loved young woman’
In his sentencing remarks at Lincoln Crown Court, Judge Simon Hirst said: “It is plain that Holly was a much loved young woman. She is described by her mother as beautiful, kind, and loving.
“It is also plain that Holly’s friends have been left with a void that will never be filled in their lives.”
Branding Metson an “evil monster”, Ms Bramley’s mother Annette said last week her family had suffered “unimaginable pain”.
Describing her daughter as “beautiful, kind and loving”, she said: “Her last moments being filled with pain will haunt us forever.
“Her life was taken by someone who quite clearly has no regard for human life.”
Joshua Hancock, 28, was the school friend who helped the murderer move the body parts – and admitted obstructing a coroner, as well as unrelated offences of attempting sexual communication with a child and drug offences.
A lawyer defending Hancock had told the court he “bitterly regrets his involvement” – adding: “Mr Hancock did not know what that job entailed. He was coming into an activity that wasn’t of his making.”
Hancock was jailed for a total of three years and three months.
