A FATHER-OF-SEVEN who murdered his teenage wife as she lay sleeping was jailed for life yesterday.

There were cheers from the public gallery as a jury at Teesside Crown Court returned a guilty verdict against Stephen Butters, who stood accused of murdering 19-year-old Claire Butters.

During a seven-day trial the court heard that Butters, 41, had stabbed the teenager to death at the house they shared at High Row, Loftus, east Cleveland, on May 8 this year. The murder took place just four days after the couple had married in a secret register office wedding.

Unemployed Butters admitted unlawfully killing his young bride, but denied murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He claimed he was suffering from depression and withdrawal from prescribed sleeping tablets.

It took the jury of seven women and four men three hours to return a guilty verdict. Butters stood impassively in the dock as the verdict was read out.

Judge Peter Fox QC said it was "a terrible killing" and the teenager's family said life would "never be the same again".

After the case, Claire's mother, Christina Cummings, and stepfather, Stephen, said in a statement: "In finding Butters guilty of murdering our daughter, the jury has found the truth and justice has been done. For that, we would sincerely like to thank them.

"Life for us will never be the same again. An innocent, naive girl has had her life snatched away by a selfish, attention-seeking and possessive man who manipulated young women.

"This man has deprived us of our only daughter, and for that we can never forgive him."

Detective Inspector Steve Richards, who led the investigation, said: "He cold-bloodedly murdered his young bride, and her family have been left to come to terms with a terrible tragedy.

"I don't think he had any intention of taking his own life and I welcome the verdict."

Franz Muller QC, prosecuting, told the court Butters had been married twice before, both times to brides in their late teens.

The court heard Butters and his new wife loved each other very much, were "devoted" to one another, but Butters had trouble sleeping, was suicidal and depressed, he claimed.

After killing Claire he tried to kill himself three times, but was unsuccessful