THE husband of New Mills murder victim Jacqueline Ross this week branded her killer 'amazingly privileged'.

Michael Ross was speaking out after cold-blooded killer Ben Redfern-Edwards was jailed for 22 years, last week.

Convicted criminal Redfern-Edwards bludgeoned the wife and mum to death just three days after he had been released from a young offenders institution for armed robbery, when he had served less than half his sentence.

Within 72 hours, the 21-year-old had used a brick to bludgeon the 44-year-old beautician to death, after coming across her as she walked her dog along the towpath of the Peak Forest Canal in Disley on Sunday, January, 30. Redfern-Edwards had been on an all-night drinking binge and attacked Jacqueline after her dog bit him.

Speaking outside Chester Crown Court, following sentencing, Mr Ross said he believed his wife's killer should have been jailed for longer.

He said he was now left to look after the couple's two sons, Ben, seven and Oliver, four.

Redfern-Edwards was found guilty of murder at Chester Crown Court on November 11.

As the verdict was passed he raised a middle finger at his victim's family and spat towards them and police.

The judge said he would have jailed the defendant for 30 years but discounted eight because of his age and it was an "instantaneous" not a premeditated attack.

The trial heard the defendant attacked his victim, then went back to finish her off because he feared she would report him and he dreaded going back to prison.

A post-mortem examination revealed Mrs Ross, who ran a manicure and pedicure business, had 69 injuries to her head, face and body. She died in hospital nine days after the attack.

The defendant's father, former bouncer Paul Edwards, 40, disposed of his son's bloodstained clothing and lied to police after the attack. But he later gave evidence against his son at the trial.

He pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice and assisting an offender and was jailed for two years.