A KILLER who strangled his lover and then butchered her daughter when she discovered the corpse has failed to convince top judges his 25-year minimum sentence was too harsh.

Richard John Walsh set fire to the bodies of his 38-year-old partner, Samantha Jessop, and her daughter Rebecca, 20, after killing them both at their home in Fernside Avenue, Almondbury, in December 2006.

Ex-soldier Walsh, 34, was convicted of Samantha’s manslaughter – and jailed for nine years for that.

But he got at least 25 years for murdering Rebecca after she had made the horrific discovery.

His case reached London’s Appeal Court yesterday as his lawyers argued the 25-year minimum was too long.

They said Walsh was prey to “mental vulnerability” at the time of the killings – and that emerged in the form of uncontrollable rages and chronic depression.

But Lord Justice Toulson, sitting with Mr Justice Bean and Judge David Paget QC, said Walsh had cold bloodedly murdered a potential witness, Rebecca, in order to camouflage his earlier crime.

He said: “The deliberate killing of an innocent young woman because she had the misfortune to discover her mother’s body was itself an aggravating factor.

“An additional aggravating factor was his attempt to destroy the bodies.”

The 25-year minimum tariff was upheld.

Shortly before he was sentenced after his trial at Leeds Crown Court in June last year, Walsh wrote a letter of apology.

He was jailed indefinitely by Mr Justice Blair who said he was a danger to the public and told he must serve at least 25 years.

But Mr Blair said Walsh could spend all of his life behind bars as he posed a “significant risk” to the public.

“I am satisfied that there is a significant risk to members of the public of serious harm of future violent offences,” he said.

“You will be sentenced indefinitely for public protection and not be released until a parole board is satisfied you are no longer a risk to the public.

“For the murder of Rebecca Jessop I sentence you to 25 years before parole can be considered.

“In any case, you will not be released after 25 years because you are dangerous at the outset and you will be detained indefinitely.”

Walsh strangled Samantha on December 11, 2006.

The couple had a volatile relationship.

Rebecca, a radio operator with Top Taxis, based at Chapel Hill, Huddersfield, lived with the couple, although she did not get on with Walsh.

The judge said he believed Walsh stabbed Rebecca after she discovered her mother had been killed.

The defendant later set their bodies on fire before slashing his own wrist in a bungled suicide bid.

Concerned neighbours alerted the police, who broke into the house on December 14, 2006, and found Walsh on the sofa and the badly-burned remains of the two women lying side-by-side on a double bed.

Mr Blair added: “I am satisfied that there was no provocation from Rebecca. Her reaction when she discovered what had happened to her mother can only be unimaginable.”

The court heard that Walsh had a deprived childhood. Psychiatrists said he had a borderline personality disorder and suffered depression, anxiety and amnesia.