Summary
Allen Morgan has been jailed for life, to serve a minimum term of 22 years.
Morgan was convicted in June of conspiracy to murder after it was found he had hired a hitman to murder his former wife in 1981
Carol Morgan, 36, was killed in a shop she ran with her husband in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
Live Reporting
Written by Laura Foster and Lewis Adams. Edited by Charlie Jones
Morgan jailed for life for 'wicked' plot against his wifepublished at 11:58 29 July
11:58 29 July
During a hearing that contained some distressing details, MrJustice Martin Spencer detailed how Allen Morgan came to plot his wife’smurder.
The judge said Morgan, 74, must serve a minimum of 22 years behind bars, which was handed down as part of a life sentence.
“The brutality of the killing shocked all those who attended the scene,” the judge said while outlining how he found Morgan tobe "wicked".
We’re going to be closing down our page now, but in case youmissed any of today’s coverage, you can find all the details around Morgan’ssentencing in our wrap of the hearing.
You can also find out more about the story via the followinglinks:
A background story about how a love affair led to a murderous plot
An audio package on the husband who paid a hitman to murder his wife
Our main news story will also be published online shortly.
This page was edited by Charlie Jones and was written byLewis Adams and Laura Foster. Thank you for joining us.
Cheer from the public gallery as Allen Morgan is jailedpublished at 11:53 29 July
11:53 29 July
Laura Foster
Reporting from Luton Crown CourtAs Mr Justice Spencer passes his 22-year sentence, Allen Morgan does not show any emotion.
There was a cry of "yes" from the public gallery. That shout came from Carol Morgan's first husband, Richard Curtis.
Allen Morgan's now wife - Margaret - watched as he was taken away to begin his sentence. He did not look back at her.
Allen Morgan is jailed for lifepublished at 11:50 29 July
11:50 29 JulyBreaking
Lewis Adams
Live reporterAllen Morgan has been jailed for life, to serve a minimum term of 22 years.
Margaret Morgan looks at the floor during sentencingpublished at 11:50 29 July
11:50 29 July
Laura Foster
Reporting from Luton Crown CourtAs Mr Justice Spencer says only one person knew the identity of Carol's murderer - and that that person was Morgan - the defendant shakes his head repeatedly.
He shakes his head at the judge, then at the press, and then looks at the public gallery and continues to shake his head.
He still maintains his innocence.
Meanwhile his now-wife Margaret Morgan, who is sitting in court for the sentencing, is just looking at the floor.
Allen Morgan distanced Carol's children from their grandparentspublished at 11:47 29 July
11:47 29 July
Lewis Adams
Live reporterAllen Morgan has shown no remorse throughout the entire investigation and subsequent trial, the judge says.
Instead, he has shown a continued "vigorous assertion" about "how badly he had been treated".
Mr Justice Spencer also explains how following Carol Morgan's death, Allen Morgan moved to distance her children from their grandparents.
Allen Morgan is 'wicked', judge continuespublished at 11:45 29 July
11:45 29 July
Lewis Adams
Live reporterMr Justice Spencer continues by saying the hitman who killed Carol Morgan has never been found.
"Only one person knows the identity of the murderer and that isyou, Mr Morgan," he says.
"That is the secret you have harboured for the last 40 years. Thelaw has now caught up with you... but the murderer remains at large, ifindeed he is still alive."
The judge adds: "There is only one wicked person in this courtroom and that is you, Mr Morgan."
Judge says Carol's death was 'brutal'published at 11:39 29 July
11:39 29 July
Lewis Adams
Live reporterThe judge is outlining how the murder of Carol was "particularly brutal".
She suffered between 10 and 15 blows during the attack at Mr and Mrs Morgan's shop in Leighton Buzzard.
"Some of which were inflicted when Carol was lying on the floor and may havebeen already dead," Mr Justice Martin Spencer says.
"This seems to be something beyond a murder committed in thecourse of robbery... It was a crime where the primary motivation was Carol’s death."
Defendant ensured the 'coast was clear' for Carol's murderpublished at 11:38 29 July
11:38 29 July
Lewis Adams
Live reporterMr Justice Martin Spencer says people were "surprised" when Allen Morgan took his step-children to the cinema on the night Carol was murdered.
He says Morgan was "not particularly close" to the children.
"The trip to the cinema was organised by you to give yourself analibi for that evening, when you knew Carol was to be murdered," the judge continues.
"It also made sure the coast was clear for the murderer toperpertrate the crime."
Allen Morgan wanted to 'get rid of' his wifepublished at 11:35 29 July
11:35 29 July
Lewis Adams
Live reporter"It is apparent that divorce was not a viable option," Mr Justice Martin Spencer continues.
"On thejury’s verdict, you decided on the alternative option - which was to get rid of Carol by havingher murdered.
"Her life insurance would clear the debt of the business. Itfurther meant you were free to continue your affair with, and eventually marry, Margaret Spooner."
Carol Morgan was 'a thoroughly admirable person'published at 11:31 29 July
11:31 29 July
Mr Justice Martin Spencer has started delivering his sentencing remarks to the court.
He says "by all accounts", Carol Morgan was "a thoroughly admirable person".
"She didnot deserve to die and I have no doubt that as she met her death, her finalthoughts would’ve been with her two children - then aged 14 and 12," the judge adds.
How to watch the sentencingpublished at 11:29 29 July
11:29 29 July
The judge is now beginning his sentencing and you can watchhis remarks by pressing the Watch live button at the top of this page.
As we mentioned earlier, we will be broadcasting with aslight delay and we may mute some sections of the audio if the content is too distressing.
A warning: there could still be distressing content.
Defendant nods in the dock as mitigation continuespublished at 11:26 29 July
11:26 29 July
Laura Foster
Reporting from Luton Crown CourtAllen Morgan's defence says the judge should take into account Morgan's "age, fragility, disability and medical issues".
Colin Aylott KC says Morgan - who is 74 - "is facing the fact that he will most likely die while he's serving his sentence".
Morgan is nodding enthusiastically as Mr Aylott addresses Mr Justice Martin Spencer.
'Allen Morgan did not inflict violence himself'published at 11:24 29 July
11:24 29 July
Laura Foster
Reporting from Luton Crown CourtAllen Morgan's defence barrister submits the type of weapon used to kill Carol Morgan should not be treated as an aggravating feature.
It has long been believed the weapon was either an axe or a meat cleaver.
Colin Aylott KC also states that since 1981, "there has been no suggestion of violence on the part of Mr Morgan".
Allen Morgan continues to plead his innocencepublished at 11:17 29 July
11:17 29 July
Laura Foster
Reporting from Luton Crown CourtAllen Morgan's defence barrister, Colin Aylott KC, is now on his feet to begin mitigation.
He starts by saying that his client maintains his innocence.
Allen Morgan laughs in the dockpublished at 11:15 29 July
11:15 29 July
Laura Foster
Reporting from Luton Crown CourtThe prosecution just said that anyone who conspires to commit murder should have the same level of responsibility as if they had killed the person themselves.
It provoked an unexpected reaction from Allen Morgan in the dock.
He laughed at the suggestion before going back to looking up at the ceiling.
'The man I called dad has lied to me my whole life'published at 11:14 29 July
11:14 29 July
Laura Foster
Reporting from Lutin Crown CourtJane Scales says she had come to terms with the fact that her mother had been murdered.
Ms Scales also says she accepted that she’d never know what happened to her.
But now she is in a "period of adjustment" as, in her words, the man she had spent her "whole life calling dad has lied to me my whole life".
"Having to explain the situation to my daughter, who has only ever known Allen and Margaret as her grandparents, is extremely distressing," she adds.
Finding out the truth has been 'important' to familypublished at 11:07 29 July
11:07 29 July
Laura Foster
Reporting from Luton Crown CourtNow a statement written by Carol's daughter, Jane Scales, is being read in court by the prosecutor.
Ms Scales says she has experienced a "rollercoaster of emotions" and that she now doubts everything she knew about her mother and her step-parents.
“It makes little or no difference to me how long Allen Morgan is sent to prison," she writes.
“Our relationship is broken and it will never be what it used to be. Nothing will bring my mother back.
"Finding out the truth has been far more important to us as a family."
Footage from inside court not yet available for broadcastpublished at 11:02 29 July
11:02 29 July
Lewis Adams
Live reporterWhile we can continue to bring you text updates from ourcolleague inside the courtroom, we're not able to show this part of the hearingon the video feed at the top of this page.
We will, however, continue to bring you the latest frominside the courtroom here.
And we will let you know when we reach the point in theproceedings where you can stream the judge's sentencing remarks at the top ofthe page.
Carol Morgan's family 'all hated' Allen Morganpublished at 11:00 29 July
11:00 29 July
A statement written by Carol Morgan's cousin, Pamela Smith, is being read to the court by the prosecution.
Ms Smith says the family "all hated" Allen Morgan, who Carol married in 1977.
"We all hated him because something had happened... The feeling was he knew the killer or was somehow involved," she says.
"He was charming in a way but not the sort of person you should always believe."
Carol Morgan suffered 'blow after blow after blow'published at 10:53 29 July
10:53 29 July
The sentencing has started and we're hearing from the prosecutor, Pavlos Panayi KC.
He says Carol Morgan "didn't stand a chance" when she was attacked back in August 1981.
Speaking about Allen Morgan's crime, he says: "The impact of the awfulness of that crime is not diminished by the passage of time.
"Blow after blow after blow rained down upon her, causing the most awful of injuries.
"The killer was determined above all else to make sure that his victim was dead before leaving the premises.
"That is what the defendant paid him to do."
