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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Kelly-Ann Mills & Alahna Kindred

Mum's heartbreak and 'living horror film' as ex-soldier who murdered daughter is jailed

A mum has shared her heartbreak after the ex-soldier who murdered her daughter in parking row was jailed today.

Afghanistan veteran Collin Reeves was on trial for the murders of his neighbours Stephen and Jennifer Chapple at their home in Norton Fitzwarren, Somerset.

Today he was jailed for a minimum of 38 years for stabbing the couple to death.

Following sentencing, Jennifer's mum Ann Clayton described her life as a "horror movie".

In a statement released by Avon and Somerset Police, Ann said: "As a family, we grieve for so much that we have lost, we have lost the ability to have a future, make memories, to laugh together.

Jennifer and Stephen Chapple were killed in November last year (PA)

She added: "Struggling to look at a photograph of Jennifer's beautiful face as it causes so much pain, you just so want to hold her one last time and tell her how much she was loved and cherished and never let her go."

Ann continued: "We have received the ultimate life sentence by the actions of this person, we implore you to use your powers to ensure that this person is never allowed to harm another person again in their lifetime.

"No other family should have to suffer this anguish and pain.

"Jennifer and Stephen, we all love and miss you so much, we will see you in the rainbows and the stars, shine brightly for all of us."

Kaiya Chapple, Stephen's sister, said: "It was and still is hard to comprehend what has happened, sometimes it feels like it is not really as if I am living a story in a television show, like an out-of-body experience.

"I still expect them to be with us like I will find out there has been some mistake and they are not really gone.

She added: "Two boys have been left without parents, I am there for them along with the rest of their family although feel like we are now sharing moments with them that should have been shared with their Mummy and Daddy."

Reeves had been rowing with the couple over designated parking on the new-build housing development since May 2021.

A police tent outside the Chapple family home (Tom Wren / SWNS)

The 35-year-old former Royal Engineer used the ceremonial dagger given to him when he left the Army to kill the couple.

Reeves himself then called the police just a few minutes after the killings to confess to what he had done.

But he later denied murder, claiming he was only guilty of manslaughter on diminished responsibility.

Two forensic psychiatrists found he was not suffering from psychosis or acute post-traumatic stress disorder - instead only diagnosing him with only mild to moderate depression.

Collin Reeves during his interviews with police (Police handout)

Reeves was unanimously convicted of murder last Friday after a jury deliberated for five hours and 21 minutes.

On the night of the murders, Reeves was caught on a security camera climbing the fence separating his garden from the victims' garden and entering through the back door.

A few seconds later Mrs Chapple can be heard screaming in terror, with Reeves shouting "die you f*** die".

Officers at the scene in Somerset (Tom Wren / SWNS)

Mrs Chapple, 33, did not even have a chance to stand up from the sofa to defend herself while Mr Chapple, 36, was found close to the rear door.

The court heard the Chapple couple and Reeves previously had a good relationship - but it deteriorated when Mrs Chapple learned to drive and bought a second car.

Rows over parking spaces escalated to the point that both Reeves' wife Kayley and Mrs Chapple had told their friends they were anxious about bumping into each other on the school run.

After the killings, Reeves was recorded in the background of the 999 calls telling someone, believed to be his mother Lynn: "I couldn't let her (or them) torment Kayley anymore".

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