An evil killer who murdered his ex-girlfriend told police he had thrown an axe at her accidentally after she 'bet' him he couldn't strike her Coke can.
Andrew Burfield said the stunt - during a 'picnic' in the woods - went horribly wrong and the back of the weapon struck victim Katie Kenyon in the head.
The 51-year-old buried her body in a shallow grave before burning her possessions after failing to get her into his van, he claimed to detectives.
A post mortem found vulnerable mum-of-two Ms Kenyon had actually suffered at least 12 blows from the axe in what was a brutal attack.
On the third day of his trial yesterday, Burfield pleaded guilty to murder and today was sentenced to life in prison, which will see him serve a minimum of 32 years.
The twisted killer had dug Ms Kenyon's grave the day before her death on April 22 and told her he was taking her to a therapy unit to get her help as they looked to rebuild their relationship.
They stopped off at McDonald's where the unaware victim ate her final meal.
Burfield pulled up at a layby off Gisburn Forest in the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire, before carrying out a sustained assault armed with the axe.
He buried Ms Kenyon's body and disguised the spot with leaves.
To cover his tracks he used her phone to message her children and himself.
Ms Kenyon was reported missing to police and a major search effort was launched.
In the coming days, Burfield would be arrested and questioned by police, first saying he didn't know of Ms Kenyon's whereabouts and then admitting he had killed her in a freak accident.
Burfield, of Burnley, told police he had taken Ms Kenyon, also of Burnley and who he had been in a relationship with since 2019, to Gisburn Forest for a picnic.
He claimed she had "bet" him he could not hit her can of Coke with his axe.
The court heard he then threw the axe to a tree but missed and hit her head.
In the police interview, Burfield said: "I just sat there with her in my arms, covered in blood. Honest to God, it was like sommat from a film."
Burfield told police he couldn't get her body to the van, so he took a spade and dug a hole to put Ms Kenyon in as he didn't want anyone to see her, or animals getting to her.
In a chilling video, released by Lancashire Police following today's sentencing, the killer is seen leading officers through the forest, first to where he claims they had a picnic.
And then he appears to collapse on the spot where Ms Kenyon's body was recovered.
Speaking at Burfield's sentencing today at Preston Crown Court, Mr Justice Goose described him as "highly dangerous" and having "carried out a planned and savage attack".
He added the defendant had been "manipulative and controlling" during the relationship when his victim was "vulnerable".
Ms Kenyon's family said her murder has had an "indescribable affect" on them "emotionally" and "things will never be the same again".
"She was literally robbed of her life, we have been robbed of her by Andrew Burfield and the children have lost their mum because of him," they added.
