A man sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 21 years was found guilty of killing a lady he had paid for sex.
On September 9, 2022, Samantha Holden, 56, was strangled and smothered by Adam Watson in her Farnborough, Hampshire, flat.
The 37-year-old Watson later left the nation before being taken into custody at a hotel in Belgium two days later. Then, Winchester Crown Court heard, he was extradited back to the United Kingdom.
Ms. Holden’s daughter Rebecca Elliott referred to her mother as her “best friend, my soul mate, and most importantly my mum” in a statement she gave during the sentencing process.
Judge Angela Morris disclosed that Watson, who had earlier been convicted of murder after a trial, had assaulted a different lady in 2013.
In this case, he entered a guilty plea to sexual assault and informed the judge that he had only done this to protect the woman from a judicial trial.
Judge Morris noted that Watson was given an eight years and eight months term for this crime at a Newcastle court.
When he killed Ms Holden, he had an extended licence time due to this crime.
During Ms Holden’s sentencing on Thursday, the court was informed of how her 18-year-old son found her dead just after 16:00 BST, resulting in the police being summoned to her flat.
She was declared deceased at the scene while lying down and wearing a blue dressing gown scene.
The court was informed that Ms. Holden’s fingernails and neck both had Watson’s DNA on them.
According to him, he got in touch with Ms. Holden for the first time in May 2022 via an adult website where she was advertising her services as a “English blonde lady”.
He claimed that before her passing, they had had multiple sex meetings.
Judge Morris claimed that Ms. Holden “trusted” Watson as a result.
Watson destroyed Ms. Holden’s phone at St. Pancras station after killing her and then ran away to Belgium.
‘Broke my heart’
Ms Holden’s daughter Mrs Elliott, 24, read a statement during sentencing.
She spoke about getting engaged and of her mother’s excitement for the wedding and how she had “bought her dress” for the day.
She said she remembered the day her mother was killed “so clearly” and it was “difficult to put into words the full impact” it has had on her and her brother.
“The manner in which she died continues to haunt me,” she said.
“The thought of my mum having such a terrifying last moment.”
She added knowing that her mother’s body had to be examined afterwards “broke my heart”.
The judge also told the court how in 2008 Watson was charged with three counts of wounding with intent against members of his own family.
The lawyer for the prosecution, Anna Vigars KC, elaborated on this and told the court how Watson attacked his father, his brother and his sister and “amputated his own left little finger” during the incident.
While in 2013 he attacked another woman who had rejected his sexual advances, leaving her unconscious when he subsequently hit her and put his hand around her neck.
Watson, of Dukes Court, Farnborough, did not look at Mrs Elliott as she delivered the statement, instead choosing to stare at the courtroom floor.
