A “PETTY crook” convicted of butchering mum-of-five Pennie Davis as part of an evil plot masterminded by her ex-lover's son has been jailed for life.

Justin Robertson will serve a minimum of 32 years and Ben Carr, who hired Robertson, was handed a life sentence with a minimum of 30 years.

Bungling Robertson was hired by Carr, whose hatred of 47-year-old Pennie drove him to have her killed in a bid to silence her and stop her from resurrecting historic claims he indecently assaulted girls.

But the “contract killing”, as the Judge described it, quickly unravelled after the 36 year old dropped car keys beside the 47 year old’s body during the frenzied attacked as she tended to her horses in a field near Beaulieu.

The jury in the trial, which has spanned seven weeks, took just under 13 hours to unanimously find Carr, of Edward Road, Shirley guilty of conspiracy to murder and Robertson guilty of murder.

Samantha Maclean, 28, of Beech Crescent, Hythe, was cleared of conspiracy to murder.

Sentencing Robertson, His Honourable Mr Justice Popplewell told him he was a “career criminal” whose “twisted mind” allowed him to justify the killing of Pennie, believing she was a paedophile.

He said Robertson was "arrogant and offensive" when giving evidence during the trial and that the attack was "brutal and ferocious".

He described Robertson’s behaviour in the witness box as “a disgusting and misguided attempt at bravado”.

Sentencing Carr, the judge said: “Your share of the blame is no less than that of the killer.”

He added Carr was already a hardened criminal with a record of selling cocaine.

The court heard a victim impact statement read out on behalf of Pennie’s family.

Her children said their house no longer feels like their home and that having their soul mate and best friend taken from them so suddenly was truly “heart-wrenching”.

In mitigation Rupert Pardoe on behalf of Robertson said his client was not a “natural contract killer” who only acted in the way he did because Carr pressed a “vulnerable button”, which was his hatred for paedophiles, claiming he had been subject to abuse at the age of 13.

In mitigation on behalf of Carr, James Scobie QC, said there were no winners in this case and that it was his “deep-rooted hatred, ultimately murderous hatred” of Pennie that led to this killing.

He said that what Carr had done with Robertson was “absolutely appalling”.

Robertson stabbed the supermarket worker at least ten times with a knife in a “frenzied attack” that left her with no chance of survival.

He had been recruited by Carr, who wanted her silenced after she threatened to resurrect historical claims that he had indecently assaulted girls.

Leanne Doyle, 24, of Beech Crescent, Hythe, will be sentenced tomorrow morning, having already pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice earlier this year, for disposing of Robertson's trainers.

Following the verdicts, John Montague, Senior District Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service said: “This is a tragic case where a mother of five who has just remarried died from a savage pre- planned execution. Her husband, Peter made the terrible discovery when he found her dead near the horses that she loved so much.

“Our thoughts are with him, Mrs Davis’ children and extended family.”