HE WAS KIND & DECENT

Victim's former partner speaks out as killer given life sentence

- DAN WARBURTON

KILLER teacher Fiona Beal was yesterday jailed for a minimum of 20 years as her victim's first love paid tribute to her ex.

Twisted Beal, 50, was handed a life sentence for stabbing Nicholas Billingham to death. She admitted killing him after making him wear an eye mask and promising him sex.

Beal then buried Nicholas in the garden in a makeshift grave and left his body to mummify.

As the sentence was handed down, the victim's ex Sophie Lindfield, 43, said: "He was kind and decent." Sophie and Nicholas, 42, had a fourand-a-half-year relationship after they met when they were 20.

In an exclusive interview with the Mirror, she claimed that if he had not have been so loyal to murderous Beal, then he would still be alive.

Charity worker Sophie said: "Nick was a good-looking bloke who used to get a lot of attention from the ladies and Fiona was eight years older. He wasn't looking for anything serious.