THROUGHOUT THE six-week trial there was an air of arrogance surrounding Kearney that colleagues at the Royal Mail depot where he worked, say was one of the main reasons why he was regarded as so unpopular.

This was a man who thought he had got away with murder. Kearney even boasted to colleagues that this time next year he would be living in France, paid for by the compensation he was expecting to get from the Royal Mail, who he insisted had dismissed him unfairly as a result of the allegations against him.

He was in fact, a cold-blooded killer who had his family and friends convinced of his innocence.

Just minutes after stabbing Paula to death, Kearney was at work, carrying on as normal, as if nothing had happened.

In the days after, nobody – not even those closest to him – noticed anything different about his behaviour.

But Kearney was well practised at keeping things secret and just as he was able to keep his double life with Paula hidden, he was able to keep the terrifying truth of Paula’s murder from everyone.

The 57-year-old was a loner, a man who was able to keep emotions bubbling under the surface, who was unpopular with his colleagues, where he had worked since 1975.

Colleagues say that nobody really knew him even after 35 years in the same job. He was a man they described as “aloof”, who “kept himself to himself”, with very few friends. A man they all called “Lord Snooty” behind his back.

Twice-divorced, he has two grown up daughters by his first marriage and three grandchildren.

Yesterday he showed no emotion as he was led away to begin his life sentence.