91�ȱ�

During a hearing that contained some distressing details, Mr Justice Martin Spencer detailed how Allen Morgan came to plot his wife’s murder.

The judge said Morgan, 74, must serve a minimum of 22 years behind bars, which was handed down as part of a life sentence.

“The brutality of the killing shocked all those who attended the scene,” the judge said while outlining how he found Morgan to be "wicked".

We’re going to be closing down our page now, but in case you missed any of today’s coverage, you can find all the details around Morgan’s sentencing in our wrap of the hearing.

You can also find out more about the story via the following links:

A background story about how a love affair led to a murderous plot

An audio package on the husband who paid a hitman to murder his wife

Our main news story will also be published online shortly.

This page was edited by Charlie Jones and was written by Lewis Adams and Laura Foster. Thank you for joining us.

Laura Foster
Reporting from Luton Crown Court

As Mr Justice Spencer passes his 22-year sentence, Allen Morgan does not show any emotion.

There was a cry of "yes" from the public gallery. That shout came from Carol Morgan's first husband, Richard Curtis.

Allen Morgan's now wife - Margaret - watched as he was taken away to begin his sentence. He did not look back at her.

Lewis Adams
Live reporter

Allen Morgan has been jailed for life, to serve a minimum term of 22 years.

Laura Foster
Reporting from Luton Crown Court

As Mr Justice Spencer says only one person knew the identity of Carol's murderer - and that that person was Morgan - the defendant shakes his head repeatedly.

He shakes his head at the judge, then at the press, and then looks at the public gallery and continues to shake his head.

He still maintains his innocence.

Meanwhile his now-wife Margaret Morgan, who is sitting in court for the sentencing, is just looking at the floor.

Lewis Adams
Live reporter

Allen Morgan has shown no remorse throughout the entire investigation and subsequent trial, the judge says.

Instead, he has shown a continued "vigorous assertion" about "how badly he had been treated".

Mr Justice Spencer also explains how following Carol Morgan's death, Allen Morgan moved to distance her children from their grandparents.

Lewis Adams
Live reporter

Mr Justice Spencer continues by saying the hitman who killed Carol Morgan has never been found.

"Only one person knows the identity of the murderer and that is you, Mr Morgan," he says.

"That is the secret you have harboured for the last 40 years. The law has now caught up with you... but the murderer remains at large, if indeed he is still alive."

The judge adds: "There is only one wicked person in this courtroom and that is you, Mr Morgan."

Lewis Adams
Live reporter

The judge is outlining how the murder of Carol was "particularly brutal".

She suffered between 10 and 15 blows during the attack at Mr and Mrs Morgan's shop in Leighton Buzzard.

"Some of which were inflicted when Carol was lying on the floor and may have been already dead," Mr Justice Martin Spencer says.

"This seems to be something beyond a murder committed in the course of robbery... It was a crime where the primary motivation was Carol’s death."

Lewis Adams
Live reporter

Mr Justice Martin Spencer says people were "surprised" when Allen Morgan took his step-children to the cinema on the night Carol was murdered.

He says Morgan was "not particularly close" to the children.

"The trip to the cinema was organised by you to give yourself an alibi for that evening, when you knew Carol was to be murdered," the judge continues.

"It also made sure the coast was clear for the murderer to perpertrate the crime."

Lewis Adams
Live reporter

"It is apparent that divorce was not a viable option," Mr Justice Martin Spencer continues.

"On the jury’s verdict, you decided on the alternative option - which was to get rid of Carol by having her murdered.

"Her life insurance would clear the debt of the business. It further meant you were free to continue your affair with, and eventually marry, Margaret Spooner."

Mr Justice Martin Spencer has started delivering his sentencing remarks to the court.

He says "by all accounts", Carol Morgan was "a thoroughly admirable person".

"She did not deserve to die and I have no doubt that as she met her death, her final thoughts would’ve been with her two children - then aged 14 and 12," the judge adds.

The judge is now beginning his sentencing and you can watch his remarks by pressing the Watch live button at the top of this page.

As we mentioned earlier, we will be broadcasting with a slight delay and we may mute some sections of the audio if the content is too distressing.

A warning: there could still be distressing content.

Laura Foster
Reporting from Luton Crown Court

Allen Morgan's defence says the judge should take into account Morgan's "age, fragility, disability and medical issues".

Colin Aylott KC says Morgan - who is 74 - "is facing the fact that he will most likely die while he's serving his sentence".

Morgan is nodding enthusiastically as Mr Aylott addresses Mr Justice Martin Spencer.

Laura Foster
Reporting from Luton Crown Court

Allen Morgan's defence barrister submits the type of weapon used to kill Carol Morgan should not be treated as an aggravating feature.

It has long been believed the weapon was either an axe or a meat cleaver.

Colin Aylott KC also states that since 1981, "there has been no suggestion of violence on the part of Mr Morgan".

Laura Foster
Reporting from Luton Crown Court

Allen Morgan's defence barrister, Colin Aylott KC, is now on his feet to begin mitigation.

He starts by saying that his client maintains his innocence.

Laura Foster
Reporting from Luton Crown Court

The prosecution just said that anyone who conspires to commit murder should have the same level of responsibility as if they had killed the person themselves.

It provoked an unexpected reaction from Allen Morgan in the dock.

He laughed at the suggestion before going back to looking up at the ceiling.

Laura Foster
Reporting from Lutin Crown Court

Jane Scales says she had come to terms with the fact that her mother had been murdered.

Ms Scales also says she accepted that she’d never know what happened to her.

But now she is in a "period of adjustment" as, in her words, the man she had spent her "whole life calling dad has lied to me my whole life".

"Having to explain the situation to my daughter, who has only ever known Allen and Margaret as her grandparents, is extremely distressing," she adds.

Laura Foster
Reporting from Luton Crown Court

Now a statement written by Carol's daughter, Jane Scales, is being read in court by the prosecutor.

Ms Scales says she has experienced a "rollercoaster of emotions" and that she now doubts everything she knew about her mother and her step-parents.

“It makes little or no difference to me how long Allen Morgan is sent to prison," she writes.

“Our relationship is broken and it will never be what it used to be. Nothing will bring my mother back.

"Finding out the truth has been far more important to us as a family."

Lewis Adams
Live reporter

While we can continue to bring you text updates from our colleague inside the courtroom, we're not able to show this part of the hearing on the video feed at the top of this page.

We will, however, continue to bring you the latest from inside the courtroom here.

And we will let you know when we reach the point in the proceedings where you can stream the judge's sentencing remarks at the top of the page.

A statement written by Carol Morgan's cousin, Pamela Smith, is being read to the court by the prosecution.

Ms Smith says the family "all hated" Allen Morgan, who Carol married in 1977.

"We all hated him because something had happened... The feeling was he knew the killer or was somehow involved," she says.

"He was charming in a way but not the sort of person you should always believe."

The sentencing has started and we're hearing from the prosecutor, Pavlos Panayi KC.

He says Carol Morgan "didn't stand a chance" when she was attacked back in August 1981.

Speaking about Allen Morgan's crime, he says: "The impact of the awfulness of that crime is not diminished by the passage of time.

"Blow after blow after blow rained down upon her, causing the most awful of injuries.

"The killer was determined above all else to make sure that his victim was dead before leaving the premises.

"That is what the defendant paid him to do."