A man has pleaded guilty to the murder of a grandmother who was bludgeoned to death six years ago.
Valerie Graves, 55, was killed in a burglary-gone-wrong at a property in Smugglers Lane, Bosham, West Sussex, on 30 December 2013.
At Lewes Crown Court, 27-year-old Cristian Sabou, of Dej, Romania, admitted murder and was jailed for life with a minimum of 23 years.
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Sentencing Sabou, Judge Christine Laing QC said: "Rather than simply running away in the hope you could not be identified by a woman waking from sleep you conducted this horrific attack on Ms Graves.
"It was your dishonesty and greed that took you to the house. It was your cowardice and lack of morality that caused you to kill Valerie Graves."
She told him he would serve a minimum term of 23 years and 272 days.
Ms Graves was a mother of two who was living in the Scottish Borders before moving to West Sussex to be nearer to family.
In a statement, her family said: "We have had to endure six years of waiting, not knowing if anyone would ever be brought to justice for this cowardly act.
"Val, our mum, was very much loved by our family and is sorely missed by all of us. She was a kind and caring person who had little conflict in her life. Her murder was incomprehensible to us all.
"Sadly, Val's mother passed away never knowing that justice has been served."
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