THE former police officer who killed his long-term lover in a pub car park on May 9 has been sent to prison.

Timothy Brehmer, 41, of Hordle, New Forest, was yesterday acquitted of murdering Claire Parry at the Horns Inn pub car park on May 9, but admitted manslaughter.

He was sentenced to ten years and six months for the manslaughter of nurse Mrs Parry, whom he’d been having an affair with for 11 years.

Judge Mr Justice Richard Jacobs said he was “sure” Brehmer intended to take Mrs Parry by the neck after she sent a text to his wife revealing the affair.

Judge Jacobs sentenced Brehmer on the basis that he lost control after the message was sent rather than on the basis he unintentionally killed her.

He said: “No words of mine can convey the tragedy for Claire’s family of the events of that Saturday afternoon. Your actions have robbed the wider community of a highly qualified nurse, who loved her job and looking after people.

“Your actions have not only cut short her life at a young age, and robbed the community of a nurse, but you have deprived her family of a daughter, wife and mother; as well as a sister and niece.

“Andrew Parry will, as he says, feel the emotional impact of this incident for the rest of his life. You robbed him of the chance to save his marriage and keep his family together.

“It is clear from the evidence at the trial that Claire Parry had decided that that is what she really wanted, and that she had had enough of you.”

Bournemouth Echo:

The court heard how Mrs Parry "had her eyes opened" to "womaniser" Brehmer after speaking to another of his former lovers.

Judge Jacobs continued: "I am sure that you did deliberately take Claire Parry by the neck, applying significant force with your forearm or the crook of your elbow for a period of time while she struggled against you thereby causing the severe neck injuries which the pathologist described.

"The evidence from the pathologist was that those injuries, which she described as ‘severe’ on a scale of mild, moderate or severe, resulted from the application of significant force to the neck for a period of a minimum 10 to 30 seconds and possibly longer.

"She said it was difficult to envisage a situation where a struggle in the car imparted the necessary degree of force or could explain the extent and severity of the neck injuries.

"You were a trained and experienced police officer, yet you did nothing to try to help Claire Parry. That was because you knew how she was.

"You could not possibly have thought she was just taking a breath.

"You must have known that her body had gone limp after your assault on her. Before you walked to the car park entrance you must have seen how she was – hanging half out of the car.

"It must have been obvious to you, as a trained police officer with extensive experience of casualties in traffic accidents, that she was not breathing.

"In evidence you said you did not realise she was poorly. I consider that you appreciated that she was much worse than that.”

Judge Jacobs said the fact Brehmer lied about Mrs Parry stabbing him was an aggravating factor in the sentencing but took his guilty plea and no previous convictions into consideration.

He said Brehmer would serve two thirds of his sentence in custody and the rest on licence.

Bournemouth Echo:

Brehmer was dismissed from Dorset Police and placed on the national barred list after killing Mrs Parry.

Detective Chief Inspector Richard Dixey, of the Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT), said: "Timothy Brehmer’s criminal actions on Saturday May 9 have had a devastating impact on a number of people, particularly the family of Claire Parry and her loved ones.

"Our thoughts remain with all those affected and I would again like to thank Claire’s family for their support throughout the investigation and trial process. I can only hope that the conclusion of the court proceedings is of some comfort to them.

"I would also like to again thank all those involved for the professional manner in which this case was investigated and brought to court."