A MAN who murdered a woman he met through an online dating website has been sentenced to life, with a minimum of 23 years.
Thirty-five year old Miles Donnelly (a.k.a.Miles Ryan) of Hall Place, London, W2 killed 44-year old mother-of-one, Usha Patel in her Cricklewood flat on Wednesday, 7 October 2015.
He was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Thursday, 21 July.
Donnelly was also sentenced to 18 months imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to one count of actual bodily harm in relation to a second woman. That sentence will run concurrently.
The court heard that Donnelly and Ms Patel had been in contact online via a dating website since April 2015 but had previously met in person.
Donnelly visited Ms Patel at her home at 8pm on Wednesday, 7 October.
Ms Patel's body was discovered in her home by a family member on the morning of 8 October.
A post-mortem examination found the cause of her death to be asphyxiation; however she had also been stabbed several times and had injuries to her face.
Inside the flat officers found a set of house keys which belonged to Donnelly. Forensic evidence including samples from a wine glass was also matched to him.
A murder investigation was launched by detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command, who began a manhunt to arrest Donnelly.
After the murder, Donnelly hid out in the home aof a female neighbour for 36 hours.
Donnelly then attempted to make sexual advances to his 43-year old neighbour in Hall Place. She refused him and so he hit her on the back of her head with a stool.
On Sunday, 11 October, Donnelly telephoned the police and advised them of his location. Officers attended and he was arrested him for the murder of Usha Patel.
Detective Inspector James Stevenson, Homicide and Major Crime Command, said:
Donnelly declined to answer any questions put to him during his police interviews and has never offered any information as to why he assaulted and killed Usha Patel that night.
Usha's family are completely devastated."
Today, I am pleased that Donnelly now faces a considerable prison [sentence]."
See More: Featured, Miles Donnelly, Miles Ryan
