'To go from hugging him that night to identifying his body in a morgue has broken me'

A KILLER wiped away tears as his victim's sister described the "living nightmare" he created.

- By ADAM EVERETT

Stephen Bates was yesterday jailed for life for the murder of his girlfriend's brother after both had attended a 70th birthday party for the victim's mum.

Martin O'Donovan, 47, died after being hit by Stephen Bates' Ford Fiesta on Stonyhurst Road in Woolton later that evening.

While the two were initially said to have "hit it off straight away" after meeting for the first time during the celebrations, they later became embroiled in a drunken punch up when the 42-year-old defendant apparently insisted on driving home, despite having downed a cocktail of Jagerbombs, Stella Artois, Red Bull and vodka.

He then allegedly threatened he would "pay someone to come and get" the other man before returning to the scene in his car and "deliberately driving straight at him".

Mr O'Donovan was left trapped beneath the chassis, and died in hospital from serious head injuries.

Bates, of Herondale Road in Mossley Hill, meanwhile went on to tell the officers who arrested him "I know what I've done, I've f***ed up".

He was found guilty of Mr O'Donovan's murder earlier this month following a trial.

During yesterday's sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court, one of Martin's sisters, Natalie O'Donovan, appeared emotional as she read a statement to the court, turning to the dock as she said: "Writing this has been one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do. How could I put into words the impact that this has had on me? Martin was my brother, my best friend, and the one person I could confide in. He was everything and more that a big brother should be.