Darren Jeffrys
Darren Jeffrys has been sentenced to life in prison for the killing of girlfriend Karen Catherall

Flintshire man Darren Jeffreys has been sentenced to life behind bars for punching and strangling to death girlfriend Karen Catherall in a "senseless" and "jealous" attack at her Flintshire home.

Jeffreys admitted killing the 45-year-old mother-of-two after the pair struck up a relationship on the online dating site Plenty of Fish.

Catherall was found strangled with head injuries at her home at Gwernaffield, near Mold, north Wales, on 14 September 2014.

Mr Justice Wyn Williams said Jeffreys must serve at least 17 and a half years before he is considered for release.

Mold Crown Court heard how Jeffreys and Catherall started seeing each other after meeting on Plenty of Fish.

The day before her death, Catherall was drinking at her local Wetherspoons pub with her former sister-in-law and nephew before Jeffreys joined them.

After deciding to move to a different pub, Catherall warned her nephew to be careful of what he said around Jeffreys because he was a "jealous man".

Catherall's nephew took her home at approximately 7pm that night but Jeffreys, who was described in court as a "nice man, but possessive" soon arrived and launched into a fatal attack.

She sustained internal and external injuries that were probably caused by punches, the court heard.

It was not until 2.35am the next day that Jeffreys, after trying to conceal the crime, called emergency services.

Sentencing, Justice Williams said: "The prosecution say that you literally battered her to death."