A convicted killer has been jailed for life after being retried for a murder he was initially found not guilty of.
Rickie Tregaskis, now 53, was found not guilty by a jury of murdering Barbara Griffin, 59, and attempting to kill her aunt in Jersey in August 1990.
After he was acquitted, Tregaskis went on to kill in the late 1990s, when he murdered Michael Josey in Mevagissey, Cornwall.
He was found guilty of that murder and sentenced to life with a minimum of 20 years.
After Jersey changed its double jeopardy law in 2019, Tregaskis was retried for Mrs Griffin's killing and was found guilty.
He was handed another life sentence with a 20-year minimum term, CornwallLive reports.
Tregaskis, who is now confined to a wheelchair because of Multiple Sclerosis, entered Mrs Griffin’s flat whilst her aunt was visiting in August 1990.
He stabbed Mrs Griffin’s aunt in her sleep as she fought to save her.
The aunt survived despite suffering numerous stab wounds but during the struggle, Mrs Griffin sustained a fatal wound to the heart.
Tregaskis was found not guilty by a jury in 1991 but has now finally been convicted of Mrs Griffin’s murder after a cold case review.
Following the guilty verdict, Mr Josey’s family said that had Tregaskis been convicted the first time around, Mr Josey would still be here today.
Following sentencing, Senior Investigating Officer with Jersey Police, Lee Turner said: “Over the years that this investigation took place, Barbara and Emma’s families have demonstrated patience, understanding and support to the police for which I’m extremely grateful, and I’m pleased that today’s sentence may help to begin their own healing process.
“I’d like to personally express my sincere gratitude to the witnesses who testified recently, for their courage in supporting the investigation and for facing the ordeal of giving evidence in court, and to the invaluable input and support of my colleague Clyde Till who has worked alongside me throughout the entirety of this re-investigation, and without whom this outcome may very well have been different.
"I also want to express recognition and gratitude to the original investigation team in 1990 who worked so hard to try and get justice for Barbara and Emma, and whose efforts provided a solid platform on which this re-investigation could build and develop, some of those officers sadly no longer being with us to see this conclusion.”
Following his acquittal, Tregaskis continued to offend and was jailed for other acts of violence including the stabbing of a doorman.
He was released in 1997 under the stipulation he lived with his father, and a short time later Tregaskis kicked Mr Josey to death.
During one of his prison sentences, Tregaskis slashed the face of child murderer Sarah Payne at Wakefield prison.
Speaking after the sentencing, a spokesperson for Jersey Police said: "Today's sentencing marks the end of what has been a long and challenging re-investigation into the horrific attack in the early hours of Thursday 2nd August 1990 when Emma Anton was viciously stabbed as she lay in her bed, and her niece Barbara Griffin murdered as she came to her aunt's assistance.
"Hopefully today's sentence will go some significant way to help Barbara and Emma's families feel that justice has finally been served after 32 years.
"Tregaskis committed what can only be described as an unprovoked, vicious and cowardly act against two women, aged 59 and 85 years, in what should have been the safety of their home in the middle of the night.
"Thankfully, due to the courage and moral fortitude of a number of people who testified during the trial, Tregaskis has finally faced justice for his heinous actions."
Speaking outside the court after the verdict, Cheryl Lowe, the daughter of Mrs Griffin, said her mother could now "rest in peace".
She said: "We've waited 30 years for this, 32 years almost. It means everything, my mother can now rest in peace, we've waited all this time and now everybody knows who murdered my mother."
