The father of a woman brutally murdered by her husband has spoken of the loss of his "sunshine".

Social worker and mother of five, Laura Richard Davies Jones, was stabbed by husband Richard Davies Jones on December 1 last year.

Yesterday, he was sentenced to 20 years behind bars for the murder.

And in an impact statement read out at Guildford Crown Court, Michael Dakin said: "Never again will I see her beautiful face, her smile, and never again will I hear her laugh.

"The sunshine has gone and only memories remain.

"Laura did not deserve to die. My daughter should not have been taken from me.

"I do not hate but I cannot forgive."

Her mother, Celia Dakin, said: "I have nearly spent all of Laura's life by her side and it grieves me that I was unable to help her when she needed me most.

"Richard I believe will be suffering, but his pain is nothing compared to the pain he has caused Laura's children family and me - he has taken my child."

What the family said was so moving that many of the jury broke down in tears and the judge had to dismiss them part way through the impact statement.

In a statement released after the sentencing, the family said: "This has been a very difficult eight months since the loss of our daughter.

"We are grateful that justice has been done and that there has been a guilty verdict.

"Of course, this does not bring our daughter Laura back and we would be grateful if our privacy was now respected so that we as a family can come to terms with our loss."

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Juliet Parker said: "All the facts of this very sad case were put before the jury and they decided that Mr Davies Jones was guilty of murder. Our sympathies are with the family, for whom this has been an extremely difficult time."