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A Man who murdered police community support officer Julia James while she was out walking her dog has been jailed For Life .

Callum Wheeler beat Mrs James To death with a metal bar after " ambushing" her near her Kent home in April 2021.

Wheeler, 22, was an " angry, violent" and " strange man" who had been seen roaming The Woods , His trial heard.

Sentencing Wheeler at Canterbury Crown Court , Judge Justice Wall told him he would serve at least 37 years.

Mrs James, a mother-of-two, was found dead alongside her Jack Russell dog Toby in Ackholt Wood near her home in Snowdown on 27 April Last Year .

The Court was told Mrs James was " subjected to a ".

Wheeler had been seen walking around the countryside with The Weapon The Day before Mrs James died, and in The Days after as hundreds of police officers scoured the area.

At Wheeler's trial, prosecutor Alison Morgan QC said The Attack was " not a momentary and spontaneous act of violence".

It was planned " over many days and weeks" She Said , and was " an ambush attack where the defendant intended to surprise His victim".

By Jeremy Britton, Bbc News , Canterbury Crown Court

The defendant is sitting in the dock with His Head Down after being carried into the dock wearing handcuffs by hospital staff.

Wheeler did not reply when asked His name - His defence barrister had to confirm His identity to the Court Clerk .

The Prosecutor explained to The Judge the metal bar the defendant carried was a jack used to move railway track.

Wheeler had never explained how it could have any innocent role in His day to day life, She Said .

At Wheeler's sentencing hearing, The Prosecutor said the finding of the defendant's DNA on The Breast area of the white vest top Julia James was wearing meant the defendant " must have touched her. "

" Given the location of that touching, it must have been sexual in nature, " Ms Morgan said.

Wheeler was " highly sexualised" and had searched for words on The Internet including " rape" just days before The Attack , She Said .

His conduct following His arrest suggesting he would go back into The Woods and attack other women, she added.

Ms Morgan said: " An aggravating feature was the concern The Attack had caused to about the safety of women.

" This Was deliberate targeting of a lone female vulnerable because of her distance from others. "

Source of news: bbc.com