Justin Robertson was jailed for 32 years and Ben Carr jailed for 30 years after being found guilty of murder and conspiracy to murder New Forest mum Pennie Davis

Justin Robertson was sentence to a life sentence with a minimum of 32 years and Ben Carr, who hired Robertson, was sentenced to a life sentence with a minimum of 30 years.

Bungling Robertson was hired by Carr (see below), whose hatred of 47-year-old Pennie drove him to have her killed in a bid to silence her and stop her from resurrecting historic claims he indecently assaulted girls.

But the "contract killing" as the Judge described it, quickly unravelled after 36-year-old dropped car keys beside the 47-year-olds body during the frenzied attacked as she tended to her horses in a field near Beaulieu.

The jury in the trial, which has spanned seven weeks, took just under 13 hours to unanimously find Carr, of Edward Road, Shirley guilty of conspiracy to murder and Robertson guilty of murder.

Samantha Maclean, 28, of Beech Crescent, Hythe, was cleared of conspiracy to murder.

Sentencing Robertson His Honourable Mr Justice Popplewell told him he was a "career criminal" whose "twisted mind" allowed him to justify the killing of Pennie, believing she was a paedophile.

He said Robertson was "arrogant and offensive" when giving evidence during the trial and that the attack was "brutal and ferocious".

He described Robertson's behaviour in the witness box as "a disgusting and misguided attempt at bravado".

Sentencing Carr, the judge said: "Your share of the blame is no less than that of the killer.”

He added Carr was already a hardened criminal with a record of selling cocaine.

The court heard a victim impact statement read out on behalf of Pennie's family.

Her children said their house no longer feels like their home and that having their soul mate and best friend taken from them so suddenly was truly "heart-wrenching".

In mitigation Rupert Pardoe on behalf of Robertson said his client was not a "natural contract killer" who only acted in the way he did because Carr pressed a "vulnerable button", which was his hatred for paedophiles, claiming he had been subject to abuse at the age of 13.

Pennie Davis' family outide court

In mitigation on behalf of Carr, James Scobie QC, said there were no winners in this case and that it was his "deep-rooted hatred, ultimately murderous hatred" of Pennie that led to this killing.

He said that what Carr had done with Robertson is "absolutely appalling".

Robertson stabbed the supermarket worker at least ten times with a knife in a “frenzied attack” that left her with no chance of survival.

He had been recruited by Carr, who wanted her silenced after she threatened to resurrect historical claims that he had indecently assaulted girls.

Fearful that those allegations would threaten his new job working with troubled teenagers and ruin the upcoming wedding of his dad, Carr's hatred for Pennie saw him desperate to put a stop to her and wanted her dead.

But he needed somebody to plunge the knife for him, and in Robertson, who he had known for several months through dealing class A drugs, Carr had his man.

Detective Superintendent Paul Barton, of Hampshire Police

A "petty crook" fuelled by greed, with a reputation of someone not to be messed with and somebody who he trusted, Robertson fitted the profile he needed.

He offered Robertson £1,500 to do the deed and knowing Robertson's hatred for paedophiles, Carr lied about Pennie sexually assaulting him as a child to ensure his hired help had the justification he needed to carry out the plan.

Over a period of just two weeks, the pair meticulously planned the murder, with regular meetings and phone contact, as well as carrying out surveillance trips, with Robertson following Pennie on at least two occasions to work out her routine and to discover the best place to carry out the killing.

Justin Robertson (left) and Ben Carr

Jurors saw CCTV footage from the Montagu Arms, capturing the wheels of both cars on camera, on both the day of the murder and the day before.

But that cruel plot quickly began to unravel when Robertson dropped the key to Maclean's car he used to get to Leygreen Farm, during the attack and left it beside Pennie's body.

It was this vital piece of evidence that soon led police to those involved in the murder.

Carr claimed he had only recruited Robertson to scare her, but the jury dismissed his lies and found him guilty of conspiring to kill the supermarket worker.

Pennie Davis' family outside court.

Robertson remained at large for several days until he finally handed himself in, claiming he was “just a petty crook” and that murder was beyond him.

Robertson denied being involved in any plan and insisted he was in Beaulieu on the day of the murder, September 2, 2014, to scope out houses to burgle, but again, jurors rejected those lies.

Maclean maintained throughout the trial that she had no knowledge of any plan, that she simply let Robertson borrow her car and phone and the jury believed that she like many of the prosecution witnesses, had helped him out but knew nothing of what he was doing.

Lian Doyle, 24, of Beech Crescent, Hythe, will be sentenced tomorrow morning, having already pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice earlier this year, for disposing of Robertson's trainers.