Becky Watts killer released from prison

A woman convicted of the manslaughter of a Bristol teenager in 2015, has been released from prison.

Shauna Hoare (29) was sentenced to 17 years behind bars for her involvement in the death of 16-year-old Becky Watts, who disappeared from home in the St George area, on 19 February of that year.

Her dismembered body was found in Barton Hill a little over a week later, on February 29.

WARNING: You may find some of the details below distressing

The case

Becky was last seen on February 19 by her step mother who left their home that morning for a hospital appointment.

Shauna and her then boyfriend Nathan Matthews initially claimed they had heard the front door slam later and assumed Becky had left.

Later however, Matthews admitted killing her by accident while attempting to kidnap her, though he was convicted of murder at trial, with Hoare receiving the lesser charge of manslaughter for her involvement.

Her cause of death was found to be suffocation, with the prosecution at trial arguing Matthews and Hoare moved her body in their car to their own home, where they then dismembered her body using a knife and saw, before hiding her remains in a neighbours' shed.

CCTV shown at trial captured Matthews buying the saw and both of them together were caught shopping for cleaning products, which the prosecution argued were needed to clean up the bathroom where they dismembered Becky's body.

The reaction

Becky's disappearance and the subsequent revelation she had been killed by members of her own family, drew global attention and she has since been referred to as "Bristol's Angel".

In 2020 a report into her murder criticised agencies for a lack of inquiry into her family, who were described as "complicated".

The review by the Keeping Bristol Safe Partnership found agencies could not have foreseen the risk posed by Matthews and Hoare, but noted none of the 16 agencies that had worked with all three in the six years leading up to Becky's killing, had established the connection between them.

Commenting on today's news Becky's mum Tanya Watts said: "I can still see her (Shauna's) face when her and Nathan were arrested at her mums house.

"She brazenly got off the settee and walked right up to the camera and laughed, smirked.

"That cannot be forgiven Shauna."

Downtown Radio has contacted the Department of Justice for a statement.

Hear the latest news on Downtown on FM, DAB, smart speaker or the Rayo app.