A JEALOUS killer who stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death a week before Christmas is starting a life sentence for her murder.

Christopher Douglas-Seath, 33, plunged a kitchen knife 16 times into 24-year-old Jemma Loder at a flat above the Goodfellas barber in Northgate, Canterbury, on December 18 last year.

The frenzied nature of the attack was such that the knife broke several bones in her body.

Douglas-Seath, who lived in North Holmes Road and worked in computing at the King’s School in the city, betrayed no emotion as Judge Andrew Patience QC sentenced him to life in prison.

There were cheers and clapping from the public gallery at Maidstone Crown Court when the judge told Douglas-Seath he would spend at least 20 years behind bars before he can be considered for release.

Judge Patience said: "It’s quite clear that you deliberately armed yourself with a knife from the kitchen with which you were to launch your murderous and wicked attack.

"I’m quite satisfied from the number, distribution and nature of the wounds inflicted upon Jemma that you intended to kill her."

Prosecutor Alan Kent told the court that Douglas-Seath had not been able to cope with losing Miss Loder when she ended their relationship in 2003.

When she got a new boyfriend, Douglas-Seath was overcome with feelings of "jealously, anger and rage," said Mr Kent.

Douglas-Seath had initially denied the murder of Miss Loder and the attempted murders of Sebastian Lee, Miss Loder’s boyfriend at the time of her death, and his friend Christopher Wintle.

But on Monday, the day his trial was due to begin, he changed his plea to guilty. He also pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of wounding with intent against the two men.

Det Ch Insp Deborah Doe, who lead the investigation into the stabbings, said "extreme jealousy" had motivated Douglas-Seath to kill.

"This was a crime of passion," she said. "But it was also a brutal and vicious attack and clearly his jealousy overwhelmed him.

"He could not cope with the fact that she had left him. He thought that if wasn’t going to have her then nor was anybody else and he killed her."

Miss Loder’s parents Jan and Bob, who lived with their daughter at Priest Avenue on Canterbury’s London Road Estate, were too distressed to talk after Douglas-Seath was sentenced on Tuesday.

But Miss Loder’s cousin Amanda Gray said: "Nothing will ever bring her back.

"We are pleased with what happened today, but are still shellshocked by the details we heard in court.

"The fact that he decided to plead guilty didn’t change anything because we all knew the guilty verdict would come out anyway."