10:49am Friday 24th January 2003
An Ashford resident was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Old Bailey for viciously stabbing a prostitute to death.
David Herbert, 45, was found guilty on Wednesday, January 15, of the murder of 23-year-old Rita Vilares, in Brill Place, Camden, on June 26, 2002.
The jury heard that Herbert had contacted the police at 10.30pm on the day of the crime, claiming he had stabbed a prostitute.
Following the tip-off, Ms Vilares was found 40 minutes later in a nearby car park, suffering from serious stab wounds.
The London Ambulance Service took Ms Vilares to University College Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 12.10am.
Herbert was arrested on the same day and subsequently charged with her murder.
DCI Martin Lee, leading the investigation for the Serious Crime Group West, said: "This murder was a tragic waste of a young life and my thoughts go out to her family, who are left dealing with the pain that Herbert's actions have caused.
"This is the just result to this trial and I hope that it provides some comfort to those that knew Ms Vilares, that her murderer will be facing a substantial time in prison."
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