A jealous bodybuilder who mowed down his love rival in a 40mph hit and run as he cycled home from work was jailed for life today.
'Calculating' Sam Spaven, 26, drove into Richard Pencott while 'bent on revenge' after learning that his one-time friend was now in a relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Amy Sherwood.
He then fled the scene, but was caught out by CCTV footage which showed his Audi mounting the kerb in Harworth, Nottinghamshire, and ploughing into father-of-two Mr Pencott, before driving away and leaving him to die.
Police also discovered a series of incriminating text and Facebook messages - including one to a friend just hours before the killing which read: 'They got to pay for this.'
Spaven was given a life sentence today when he appeared before Nottingham Crown Court, and told he would serve at least 24 years for the killing in June of this year.
Judge Michael Stokes QC told him: 'This was a premeditated, deliberate murder. Why? Because as obsessed as you were with your ex-girlfriend and mother of your child, you were blinded by jealousy and bent on revenge.
'You killed him in a way you hoped would not be connected with you. You were in a rage. Once you had discovered your ex-girlfriend's new friend was someone you knew, your anger drove you to lose completely any moral compass you had at all.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3361105/Jealous-bodybuilder-jailed-life-murdering-love-rival-running-40mph-cycled-home-work.
You deliberately used your car as a weapon to kill Richard Pencott. You deliberately aimed that vehicle at him. You deliberately meant to kill him.'
Spaven, of Bircotes, Doncaster, and Miss Sherwood had been together since 2009 and had a son together, who was almost two at the time of the murder, on June 24.
But the court heard Miss Sherwood, 27, split with Spaven in April because 'she could no longer put up with his behaviour and increasing mood swings.'
Two months later she started seeing Mr Pencott, 40, who she knew through Spaven - causing her ex to fly into a rage.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3361105/Jealous-bodybuilder-jailed-life-murdering-love-rival-running-40mph-cycled-home-work.html#ixzz4JCdNrSIe
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