'Ruthless' killer Andrew Burke who slit throat of ex-fiancée's TUI travel agent lover in front of horrified customers jailed for 26 years

Andrew Burke (left) has been jailed over the murder of Cassie Hayes (right) the partner of his ex-fiancée Laura Williams (centre)
PA
Fiona Simpson9 April 2018
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A “ruthless” killer who slit the throat of his ex-fiancée’s lesbian partner in the Tui travel agents where she worked has been jailed for 26 years.

Andrew Burke, 31, today admitted killing Cassie Hayes, 28, at her workplace in Southport during what prosecutors called a “cold-blooded execution”.

Assistant manager Ms Hayes died in hospital following the attack on January 13.

Gordon Cole QC, prosecuting, said the murder was a pre-meditated and planned attack carried out in a "totally ruthless way".

Cassie Hayes (left) with her mum Tracy Hayes (centre) and sister Nadine Hayes
PA

He said: "It was essentially an execution of a young woman in her place of work."

In an emotional statement from the dock, Ms Hayes’s mother Tracy said Burke should “rot in hell” over the murder.

She said: “"You took the most precious gift I ever had in my life, my beautiful daughter, my baby, in the most horrific way ever.

"You are the most evil, evil monster walking on this whole earth. You do not deserve to breathe fresh air..

"You are a sick, disturbed man and you do not deserve to walk the streets again.

"You should spend the rest of your life behind bars.

"You have taken the most precious thing from me.

Cassie Hayes (right) with partner Laura Williams
PA

"She was my whole world, my everything, my best friend.

"I have got to live my life without her.

"It has torn our lives apart.

"I don't know how I'm going to spend each day without her.

"I just want my baby back and I hope you rot in hell you evil, evil coward of a man."

Liverpool Crown Court today heard that the defendant was the ex-partner of her girlfriend Laura Williams, 29.

The pair had been in a relationship since Ms Hayes split with Burke, the court was told.

On the day of the murder, Burke told traumatised colleagues: “I just want to apologise for what I am about to do."

He was then seen to lower his hood before he walked behind Ms Hayes and placed his arms behind her head.

Killer Andrew Burke has been jailed for 26 years
PA

The prosecutor said: "He lifted her head, exposing her neck with his left arm and then ran his right hand across her throat.

Tracy Hayes, mother of Cassie Hayes, arrives at Liverpool Crown Court
PA

"It was immediately apparent that there was blood flowing and that Cassie Hayes had had her throat cut."

Burke remained at the back of the shop and made apologies by saying that nobody deserved to see what happened, the court was told.

He was also heard to have made remarks to the effect that Ms Hayes "had it coming for her what she had done to his family".

Mr Cole said: "After this ruthless and chilling murder the defendant seemed to remain calm. He showed no emotion and remained seated whilst everybody else was reacting in one way or another to what had happened."

Police arrived at the scene and found Burke lying on the floor in the centre of the shop with his head towards the door.

Burke had been convicted of harassing his victim the day before the attack.

Friends of murdered travel agent Cassie Hayes arrive at Liverpool Crown Court
PA

He had also admitted threatening to kill himself or Ms Hayes in a phone call overheard by his mother in January last year.

The defendant told a firearms officer: "I'm no threat to you, officer. I've got nothing else on me. The knife's on the table.

"Can you tell the family that was in here I'm sorry, I thought I'd waited till there were no kids in there.

Nadine Hayes, sister of Cassie Hayes, is hugged outside Liverpool Crown Court
PA

"I was in court yesterday and I lost. It was either kill me or kill her, so I killed her.

"The only reason I wasn't still cutting her when you turned up was cos you'd shoot me and I didn't want to put you through that."

When the defendant was arrested on suspicion of murder and cautioned, he replied: "Has she died?"

Ms Hayes was taken to Southport Hospital and was pronounced dead the same afternoon.

During sentencing Judge David Aubrey told Burke: "You perpetrated a cold-blooded execution in public for the purpose of revenge and in my judgment the killing was an act of unspeakable savagery.

"This was a cowardly act of revenge designed to kill and did kill a totally innocent person in broad daylight in front of, and witnessed by, so many."

Burke has been jailed for a minimum of 26 years.

Additional reporting by Press Association.

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