Man jailed for life for murder of woman in Thatcham
Emma McArthur was stabbed in April.
A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment after he was convicted of murder, after stabbing a woman in Thatcham.
36 year old Christopher Joseph Minards, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to one count of murder and one count of possession of a knife, blade or sharp pointed article in a public place at a hearing at Reading Crown Court on 5 August.
Yesterday (23 September) he was jailed with a minimum term of 16 years and two months jail.
Minards was also sentenced to 12 monthsâ imprisonment for possession of a bladed article, which will run concurrently alongside his murder sentence.
It follows the stabbing of 43 year old Emma McArthur on 1 April, whom he knew, at the junction of Crookham Hill and Burys Bank Road.
Emma died of her injuries the following day.
A murder investigation was launched and Minards was arrested charged on 4 April.
Senior investigating officer, Detective Inspector Sally Spencer, of the Thames Valley Police Major Crime Unit, said: âMinards has now been sentenced to significant term of imprisonment as a direct result of his horrific actions on 1 April.
âHe will have to serve at least 16 years and two months before he becomes eligible for parole for this abhorrent crime.
âMy thoughts once again go out to the family and friends of Emma, I sincerely hope that the fact we have brought her killer to justice and he has now been jailed, helps them begin the very difficult process of moving on with their lives.
âThis incident has had a devastating impact on the family and friends of Emma, and shocked the entire community, and we are committed to bringing such offenders to justice.â