‘Evil’ killer handed 20 years in prison

May 1 2008 Matt Thomas, Glamorgan Gazette

A FORMER lorry driver who murdered his secret lover in her bedroom will serve at least 20 years in prison.

A judge at Cardiff Crown Court sentenced Royston Moore, 53, to life imprisonment and told him he was “thoroughly evil”.

There were shouts of “yes” from the public gallery as Mr Justice Lloyd Jones told him he would serve at least 20 years before he could be considered for release.

Moore, of Nantymoel Row, Nantymoel, was convicted of the murder of Beverly Parkhouse, 45, last month.

She was killed in her bedroom at her widowed father’s house in Cardiff Street, Ogmore Vale, in September 2006.

Moore strangled or suffocated her before setting fire to the bedroom to try and cover his tracks.

She was found dead by her father, Kenneth Palmer, later that morning.

Police originally suspected Mrs Parkhouse had died from smoke inhalation, but a post-mortem revealed she had been suffocated or strangled.

Following a further police investigation, and an appeal on the BBC’s Crimewatch, Moore was charged with murder in April 2007.

In a victim impact statement read out to the court this week, her husband of 27 years, motorway engineer Andre Parkhouse, described her 18-month affair with Moore as a “mistake”.

“This has not changed my feelings or thoughts of her,” he said.

“I love her deeply. Everybody makes mistakes. My Bev did not deserve to die because of a mistake.”

The couple’s daughter Sarah, who has recently given birth, said the murder had robbed Mrs Parkhouse of the chance to be a grandmother to the new baby.

Mrs Parkhouse’s father Kenneth Palmer said: “Finding out that Moore had started a fire in my home was a terrible shock.

“It would have killed me if it had taken a proper hold.”

Passing sentence, the judge described Moore as “a devious, manipulative, controlling and thoroughly brutal man”.

“I have no doubt this was a cold and efficient killing,” he said.

After the sentence had been read out, he said of the Parkhouse family: “It may be the conclusion of this trial will bring a measure of closure and allow them to look to the future. I do hope so.”