The family of a woman murdered by her husband in bed have called her killer a "coward", saying she did not deserve to die at his hands. They spoke about all the milestones in life she won't be around for and the anguish of not knowing what her life could have looked like.
Michael Davies, 58, strangled his wife Tracey Davies to death at their home in Cefn Cribwr, Bridgend, on April 18 last year moments after the pair had been cuddling in bed. On Friday, Davies was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 14 years at Newport Crown Court. The defendant had admitted the manslaughter of Mrs Davies but had denied murder, arguing he was mentally ill and wasn't in control of his actions at the time of the killing. He was found guilty of murder by a jury following a trial at the same court in September.
Family's trauma and loss
In her statement, Tracey's daughter Danielle Young said: "As a family we have not been able to come to terms with the loss of our mum. I struggle to find the words to explain how we have been affected by what happened.
"Losing our mum in such a horrendous and bad way affects us in all sorts of ways. I am undergoing trauma and PTSD counselling due to the number of nightmares and I'm struggling with images that go in my head day and night. No amount of medication has helped me deal with my normal day.
"We couldn't do normal things or be out in public for four months. When we tried to leave the house people would speculate or come up to us in the shops, making stories up about what happened.
"We underwent two Crown court trials which prolonged our suffering. Having to see images and listening to evidence and accounts of mum's last moments, knowing she would have been terrified and confused as she was killed, will continue to haunt us as a family.
"The images will never be able to be erased from our minds. It's hard to think she was killed by a person she loved has traumatised us. We still experience nightmares and trauma from what happened to mum.
"As a family we will be tormented by mum's final moments as she left this world.
"We don't believe Michael has shown genuine remorse for what he did to mum or the suffering he's caused to us all. There was no emotion shown from him in the courtroom. A man I thought I knew has ruined our lives.
"I feel completely numb, I'll never know what mum's life could have looked like. We won't be able to watch her grow older or keep making memories.
"No sentence Michael can receive will ever bring back our mum. Whatever sentence he receives will never reflect the sentence we as a family are serving living our lives without mum.
"I still can't comprehend mum won't be here to celebrate significant milestones in our lives. My 30th birthday and Callum's 21st birthday.
"Mum was due to turn 50 in November and we discussed plans and crazy ideas of going to Transylvania. Mum will never get to turn 50 or celebrate milestones with her family because of Michael's actions. We can't comprehend memories and life events without our mum.
"She had so many plans for the future and life, a life that was so cruelly and brutally ended by the man she loved, who promised to love and protect her. He was the person responsible for so cruelly ending her life.
"Mum did nothing but love and care for Michael up until her final days. She showed love and care, in evidence heard throughout the trial. Her care and concern for Michael sums up the person she was and this is how she will always be remembered.
"Mum was caring and thoughtful, an extraordinary woman with fierce support and boundless compassion. A radiant presence whose laughter could light up any room.
"She was a devoted mother, cherished sister, friend, aunty and cousin. Her absence is felt every day, something we will never get used to. Mum was our biggest supporter.
"She is so loved and missed. We will remember the person she was and the life she lived."
Sister's tribute and anger
Tracey's sister Julie Reeve said: "Tracey was my big sister and growing up I always looked up to her and admired her. She was an inspiration to me and I wanted to be like her.
"My older sister Tracey protected me growing up and I feel an unmeasurable amount of pain that I was unable to protect her from Michael's actions.
"Tracey was the anchor which held our family together. We feel our family is completely broken. Michael alone is the individual responsible for breaking up our family.
"Tracey was larger than life and her absence is felt by all. She lived life to the fullest. The world is quieter and emptier without her in it. Life will never be the same without my sister. I can't comprehend she is not here.
"Whatever sentence Michael receives, it will never be enough. We will have to live the rest of our lives without Tracey. Michael will be able to see his family in prison but we as a family will never be able to see our sister again after she was so cruelly taken away from us.
"I suffer with sleepless nights, flashbacks and nightmares thinking about what Tracey experienced at the hands of Michael before she died. I feel like I'm living life on autopilot.
"To sit in the court and see graphic images of my sister's final moments are placed in my thoughts.
"I struggle to think how she would have been terrified in her final moments at the hands of Michael.
"Seeing her lying on the bed, I will never be able to relieve this from my mind.
"I try to think of good times and lovely memories but I struggle with this every day. My memories are of her final moments and the brutality she was subjected to by Michael.
"The past 18 months have been horrendous. Numerous court hearings and two trials. As a family we've not had the opportunity to grieve the death of our sister.
"When someone passes away from illness or old age you can prepare yourself and say goodbye but we never had any of that because Michael murdered her. We had to wait two months to see her and say goodbye.
"Michael took so much from us, our lives have turned upside down.
"He promised my mother on her deathbed to care and look after my sister. We believed this was a promise he would carry out for my mum. I can't comprehend he went on to kill her daughter."
Addressing the killer in court
Addressing Davies in the dock, Ms Reeve said in her statement: "Michael, I think you are a coward for doing what you did. My sister did not deserve what happened to her, murdered by a man she loved unconditionally and cared for even in her final days.
"I feel like there's no remorse shown by Michael. We had to endure two trials which caused us unmeasurable pain but at no point has he shown upset when he recounted the graphic details of how he killed my sister.
"He took a mother away from her children, a sister away from her siblings, an aunty away from her nieces and nephews and a friend away from people who loved her.
"I can't comprehend my sister isn't here. I will never stop loving and missing her for the rest of my life."
