A 26-year old Harlow man who carried out a savage attack on a 62-year old disabled woman has been told he must serve at least 22 years in jail for her murder before he is even considered for parole.
Passing sentence, the judge said: "She was a lovely woman with many years ahead of her and you took her life for no reason at all other than being a drink and drug obsessed man. You were unable to control yourself and inflicted upon her a terrible, terrible, death."
Tension filled the packed court and comments from the public gallery resulted in one member of Mrs North's family being ordered to leave. Afterwards, her family described Riley as a "a vile monster".
In a statement, they said: "Losing a loved one is hard enough but having your loved one brutally murdered is beyond comprehension. We are tormented by the fear and pain she suffered. We are all devastated, our lives will never be the same. He took her life but our memories he can never take from us."
Riley admitted murdering Mrs North near her home at Hadley Grange, Harlow.
In sentencing Riley, the judge rejected a prosecution claim he inflicted the fatal injuries in the course of another crime which could have brought a 30-year minimum sentence.
Mrs North had arrived home after an evening out with family in a pub in Tunbridge Wells on February 27.
David Holborn, prosecuting, said Mrs North was declared dead shortly after arrival at the Princess Alexandra Hospital. She had dialled 999 "struggling to speak pleading for an ambulance; she thought she was going to die."
A post mortem revealed she died from shock caused by multiple stab wounds.
Mr Holborn had said : "The Crown's case is that this defendant murdered a defenceless woman. She was disabled and was simply minding her own business having been out socialising for the evening. She was harming no-one and was subjected to an attack by this defendant of considerable savagery which resulted in her death.
"Jennifer North lived alone in a ground floor flat which was part of a set of four in Hadley Grange. She was 62 and an amputee having lost her left leg through illness six years previously."
He said that Riley had earlier visited a flat at Hadley Grange to buy cannabis and had stolen Mrs North's keys.
Some weeks later he returned to Hadley Grange to steal Mrs North's car but was unable to start it. He stole a bag from the car which contained a number of things belonging to Mrs North, including a bank card he used to withdraw £200 at an ATM at Lloyds Bank in Harlow.
Mr Holborn said that locks were changed at Mrs North's flat the day before her murder after she had been concerned someone was trying to get into the flat several days before.
Patrick Upwood, in mitigation, said Riley had a £250 a week drug habit but now had time to reflect and added : "Genuine remorse is now part of the make up of a sobering young man. He's certainly free from drugs."
He added : "When he went out he had no intention to kill her."
