A cleaner who murdered his “beautiful and loving” girlfriend in a jealous rage 6000 miles away in South America has been given a life sentence.

Jorge Garay, from Dartford, strangled mum-of-one Karla Godoy during an argument while they were holidaying in Peru before burying her body.

The 47-year-old was convicted after a landmark trial at Maidstone Crown Court, which is believed to be the first case heard in the UK brought under Section 72 of the Domestic Abuse Act of 2021.

It means a person, no matter their nationality, who is a resident in England or Wales can be tried in the UK for committing a “specified violent offence” abroad.

Kent Police officers travelled to Peru to collect evidence which helped convict Garay, who had returned to the UK in October last year after killing his 37-year-old partner before and then directed police to where her body was buried in nearby Santa Ana.

Karla’s brother, who watched the sentencing hearing live by video link, described his sister as a beautiful and loving woman.

Mr Justice Jeremy Johnson Garay for life and told him he will have to serve a minimum of 17 years before he will be eligible for parole.

“You were obsessive and controlling behaviour and you wanted her all to yourself. And you have put her family through hell twice,” he told the murderer.

In a prepared statement, Garay said “something crazy” came over him.

He said: “I grabbed her with the elastic/string. She was still kicking me, saying let me go b******, insulting me.

“I shouted shut up, shut up. I was mad. I can’t remember what happened at this moment, not exactly. I know I was angry that she was trying to kill me.”

In the two page document he admitted killing her but claimed he feared she was going to kill him but the jury rejected his claims.

Afterwards he claimed he panicked and covered her body in a sheet and put her in the garden. Peruvian police later found the body in a grave in Santa Ana .

Garay wrote how he and Karla, who both lived in Hythe Street, Dartford, had visited Peru and Spain during a holiday.

He claimed his partner hadn’t disclosed their relationship her husband as she feared it could affect her being able to see her child who lives in Spain.

But, she posted a photograph of the pair visiting Machu Pichu in Peru before returning to Garay’s mother’s home in Santa Ana.

Garay returned alone to Britain and was arrested in London.