ALEXANDER PACTEAU, the killer of Karen Buckley, will spend at least 23 years in prison for the brutal killing and cover-up of the Cork student’s death.
Pacteau, 21, appeared before Glasgow High Court this morning for sentencing after admitting last month to killing 24-year-old Ms Buckley by repeatedly striking her with a spanner and strangling her.
His guilty plea meant a mandatory life sentence – and it will be 23 years before Pacteau is eligible for parole.
When sentencing the killer this morning, Judge Lady Rae said she “cannot ignore” his actions after the murder took place.
Pacteau met Ms Buckley at around 1am outside The Sanctuary nightclub on Dumbarton Road in Glasgow’s West End.
The pair got into his car and he drove to nearby Kelvin Way where he parked the car for 12 minutes.
There, he strangled the Glasgow Caledonian University student and struck her over the head with a spanner 12 or 13 times.
He spent the hours following the killing orchestrating a cover-up story and attempting to dispose of her remains with caustic acid.
“In a matter of minutes, for some unknown, inexplicable reason, you destroyed her life,” Judge Lady Rae said when handing down the sentence.
Ms Buckley’s parents, John and Marian, were present in the court this morning to witness the sentencing of their daughter’s killer.
In a statement after Pacteau’s sentencing, John Buckley said: “Today’s life sentencing will not bring our beautiful Karen back.
“Our little angel has been taken from us in the cruellest of ways. We mourn for her every day.
“It will however ensure that women are safe from harm from the truly evil coward that took our beautiful Karen’s precious life.
“I hope that he is never released and spends every day in prison haunted by what he did.”
Pacteau made no reaction when the sentence was handed down and he was led away by the police.
