The brother of former EastEnders actor Gemma McCluskie has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years for her murder. Tony McCluskie, 36, a window cleaner, was found guilty by a majority verdict of 11-1 at the Old Bailey, having admitted manslaughter but denied murder.
The court heard that McCluskie, described as 'hopelessly addicted' to skunk cannabis, struck his 29-year-old sister over the head at least twice before dismembering her body into six pieces. He then placed the remains in a suitcase and threw them into the Regent's Canal in east London. The torso was found a week later when the suitcase snapped open, with limbs and the head discovered subsequently.
After the killing, McCluskie sent text messages from his sister's phone to make it appear she was still alive, and later reported her missing, even joining friends in search efforts. He also claimed to have received hoax ransom calls, which prosecutors said he 'could not have believed his luck' over as they diverted suspicion.
The siblings' father, Anthony McCluskie, expressed his enduring love for his son despite the crime, stating he hopes Tony will eventually be released with a better understanding of his actions. The judge, Mr Justice Fulford, described Gemma as 'a warm-hearted young woman with a huge zest for life' and condemned McCluskie's cold-blooded and determined efforts to conceal the murder and damage his sister's reputation.
