A man who murdered and dismembered his 74-year-old landlady and hid her remains in a warehouse has been jailed for at least 19 years.

Scott Paterson, 45, of no fixed address, smothered Annette Smith with a pillow at their shared home in Fairfield, Bedfordshire, in November 2023, Luton Crown Court was told on Monday.

He then used a kitchen knife and saw to dismember her body and hid the remains in a storage unit in Letchworth.

He used her email account to send Christmas messages and Moonpig cards to family and friends, to pretend she was still alive, and even told police she had left their home with an unknown woman, to try to cover up the murder.

However, in April concerns were raised by relatives and an investigation was launched by the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire (BCH) major crime unit.

Detectives discovered his passport and clothes were still at home, along with his laptop which had sent the Christmas messages.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment for a minimum period of 19 years and 178 days.

The court heard they had met 14 years earlier and Ms Smith offered him rent-free accommodation in her house after Paterson experienced a “relationship breakdown”.

The court heard he and Ms Smith had a close relationship, going on holidays together and hosting dinner parties.

In 2018, Ms. Smith suffered a stroke that limited her mobility and Paterson took on family responsibilities, including collecting prescriptions and running errands.

In 2023, she was asked by her ex-husband Peter Smith, who had a 20% stake in the house, to sell the property due to his business difficulties.

Ms Smith initially did not want to move, but Paterson claimed he “felt pressure” to encourage her to make a sale.

He also said she had become “more demanding” since her stroke five years earlier.

On November 8, 2023, Paterson entered Ms. Smith’s bedroom and smothered her with a pillow.

He left her in bed and drank a bottle of wine before dragging her body into the bathroom and wrapping her in a green blanket.

Prosecutors told the court he continued to talk to her about “everyday things that seemed normal.”

He moved the body to a cupboard under the stairs after being informed that a photographer from the estate agent would be coming to take photos of the house.

Paterson, who was working on a deli and butchery counter at a farm shop at the time, then dismembered Ms Smith’s body with a kitchen knife and saw.

He wrapped parts of her body in plastic bags and hid her torso in a black suitcase which he took to the Letchworth storage unit.

In a bid to pretend she was still alive, Paterson used his victim’s email address to send Christmas messages and Moonpig cards to family and friends.

However, in January 2021, Ms Smith’s family raised concerns with Bedfordshire Police over her welfare.

When he was arrested, Paterson made a full confession and directed police to a storage unit where he had hidden his remains. He said he had considered killing Ms Smith at least twice before and only stopped when he reached her bedroom door.

He also told police he had racked up £30,000 in credit card debt and admitted he had stolen jewelry from Ms Smith, both while she slept and after she died. He was selling the jewelry on Cash4Gold, the court heard.

Ms Smith’s stepson, Jason Smith, described his mother-in-law as a “very kind and caring person” who was “always there for me throughout the years”.

Paterson, dressed in a blue polo shirt and gray pants, lowered his head and kept his eyes closed as Mr. Smith spoke.

He told the courtroom that he initially believed the defendant, described by other witnesses as a “gentle giant,” was a “nice guy,” but in reality he was a “gentle giant.” wicked “.

He added: “I will never forgive (him) for what he did, I hate him from the bottom of my heart. »

During sentencing, Judge Edward Murray described Paterson’s actions as “horrible” and “callous”, adding: “The sentence I impose today cannot compensate Annette’s families and friends Smith or his tragic loss. »

As he was sentenced to life in prison, Paterson stood up, bowed his head and closed his eyes before leaving the dock.

“Added to this were his efforts to make financial gain by selling Annette’s possessions.

“Nothing can lessen the impact this will have had on those who knew Annette, but we hope that today’s sentencing will bring some comfort to her family and friends and bring an end to what has doubtless been a horrible ordeal for her beloved. those. »

A tribute from Ms Smith’s family read: “We are heartbroken and devastated that Annette was taken from us in such a cruel and senseless way.

“She was a beautiful, caring, confident and generous woman who meant so much to so many people.

“Annette, rest in peace with those who will love you and care for you.”