SIMON Hedger-Cooper has paid tribute to his husband Guy Hedger in a moving victim impact statement read aloud at Winchester Crown Court.

In the statement, which was read aloud to Winchester Crown Court, Mr Hedger-Cooper, 48, said: "Guy was an intelligent, creative, caring and gentle man.

"He worked hard his whole adult life, he deserved what he had worked for, he deserved to enjoy the fruits of his labour and he deserved to still be with me today.

"Guy’s life was lived to the full, he worked hard and he played hard. He enjoyed sport, he was a talented artist who drew his inspiration from the sea and the places he had lived and worked.

"Although working for large corporations, Guy could never be called corporate.

"This is all in stark contrast to the final moments of Guy’s life which were full of terror, fear and pain. No one deserves to have their life ended in such an abrupt way. I pray that he is now at peace.

"The events of that evening have radically changed my life forever and are an experience from which I shall never recover.

"To lose the person you have loved and cared for over many years is devastating whenever that moment comes, but losing that person in these tragic circumstances in front of you, in your own home, is horrific and makes the pain unbearable.

"A crime that cut his life short in the most violent and callous way. A crime that was fuelled solely and simply by greed.

"A thought that it is easier to take from someone else than to work hard, a thought that it is acceptable to murder and get what you want, a thought that life is cheap.

"The effect of what I went through that night has had a significant impact on my life.

"What I saw, what I heard and how I felt and continue to feel will haunt me until my dying day.

"Every moment of darkness seems like an eternity, making sleep elusive and difficult to achieve without medical intervention.

"The callous and calculated nature of this crime, the invasion into our lives, the taking of the phones to stop me from summoning assistance, all point to a total disregard for humanity.

"Guy was not only a devoted husband; he was also a loving son, brother and uncle. His devastating loss has been felt by these people too, many of whom are struggling to come to terms with what has happened and some of whom are still too young to know the reality.

"The effects of the loss of Guy reach far beyond his family. Friends, neighbours and work colleagues have all had their lives touched by the horrendous events of that evening.

"The memory of Guy lives on in his work. The LV heart which he designed and the slightly off-the-wall adverts – all a mark of his creative genius and reminders of his professional success.

"Guy saw the best in everyone and was a keen advocate of the young. He would have been humbled and honoured to know that LV is establishing a bursary in his name and that the academy, which he devoted much of his time and skills to, is naming an enterprise award after him.

"Guy’s family wish to thank the police and the public for their work to ensure justice is seen. Nothing will bring Guy back and no prison sentence can ever compensate for his loss of life.”