A MAN who admitted kicking his childhood sex abuser over a cliff is today beginning a life sentence for attempted murder.

Christopher Thomas, 33, of Prospect Road, Newport, Isle of Wight, was convicted by a jury of attempting to kill paedophile Edwin Wilcox at a trial at Winchester Crown Court in July.

Mr Wilcox, 64, is presumed dead. His body was never found after the fall from Culver Cliff on the Isle of Wight in January 1998.

Thomas had taken his childhood abuser to the cliff and kicked him over after hearing Mr Wilcox pray for himself, not his victims.

Yesterday, at a sentence hearing at Birmingham Crown Court, Judge Mrs Justice Smith jailed Thomas for life, giving him a minimum sentence of four years and four months after reading psychiatric reports into Thomas's mental state.

She said Thomas went out that night with the intention of killing Mr Wilcox.

"By your own admittance I have to sentence you for murder as you know that the overwhelming possibility is that Mr Wilcox died that night.

"His body was never found and there were some reported sightings of him, and I think the jury was troubled by that.

"If Mr Wilcox did survive, it was purely by chance and in my judgement if he did survive makes no difference to the severity of this case.

"I have given consideration to the danger to the public if you are released. I have read every line of the letters you have written to me in the last few months and I have also read two psychological reports.

"I believe that you have had such an unfortunate life experience that your personality has been damaged to a great extent.

"You think you have done society a good turn by removing Mr Wilcox - in both the trial and your letters you have no sense that you have done anything wrong.

"Your crime is plainly serious enough to warrant a life sentence.

"I am making a minimum recommendation of six years' imprisonment because of your background.''

Dressed in a blue shirt and black suit, Thomas remained emotionless throughout the hour-long hearing.

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