Patrick Curran has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Joan Roddam, with the 38-year-old set to serve a minimum of 18 years.

Curran was convicted of murder on Friday, January 23, at Truro Crown Court following a three-week trial.

Joan, aged 74, was killed at her home in Delabole and her body was discovered at the rear of her home at West Downs, during the evening of Saturday 8th November 2003.

A post mortem examination revealed that she had died from asphyxiation.

Following a review and a re-investigation of the case undertaken by Cornwall’s Major Crime Investigation Team, Curran was arrested on  March 18, 2014 and later charged with her murder.

He remained in custody pending the trial.