MELVIN Stewart, 45, bludgeoned grandmother Pauline Elsie Jones, 53, to death with a hammer after the couple had sex in his Cwmbran flat last October.

Mrs Jones died of severe head and facial injuries and was probably alive for a number of hours after the attack.

Stewart had denied her murder, claiming manslaughter with diminished responsibility.

But a jury at Cardiff crown court yesterday convicted him of her murder.

After he was arrested for the murder last October, Stewart told detectives in interview he killed her after they argued about her boyfriends and because she would not rekindle their relationship.

He told police: "She was the only person I ever loved or wanted to be with. Probably all I ever wanted to do was marry her."

The couple fell in love after meeting in Las Vegas while on holiday in 1999, and Stewart left his job and home in Yorkshire to live with the divorce and mother of two at her flat in Northville, Cwmbran.

Their relationship was initially happy but broke down in 2003, when Mrs Jones asked Stewart to leave.

The court heard she found him "boring".

Stewart left Gwent to move back to Bradford, but returned to Cwmbran in 2004 to live with Mrs Jones for a few weeks while she "helped him get back on his feet".

He eventually moved into a flat in Newport before moving to Leadon Court, Thornhill, where the murder took place.

The court heard how Stewart became isolated while living in South Wales with no friends or family around him, and became worried about money when he failed to find a job. He was also drinking and gambling to excess.

Stewart relied heavily on Mrs Jones, who was described as a "caring and bubbly" woman, for support, and she felt sorry for him.

Although they were still friends and had an on/off sexual relationship it became clear their love affair was over.

Prosecutor John Jenkins, QC, said Stewart killed Mrs Jones because of "jealousy and resentment" that the relationship was over.

His defence, led by Tim Roberts, QC, argued that Stewart had a psychotic depressive illness and was hearing the devil's voice telling him to kill himself.

This, combined with learning difficulties and the discovery of brain damage, "seriously diminished his responsibility for what happened", it was claimed.

Mrs Jones was a caring woman who would go out of her way to help anyone - but it was this kindness which ultimately led to her downfall.

Stewart clung desperately to Mrs Jones despite the fact their relationship was clearly over.

As the jury returned their verdict, members of Mrs Jones' family gasped before they hugged and kissed in relief in the court's public gallery. The jury had dismissed defence arguments.

Apart from the opening day of the trial, all proceedings were heard in Stewart's absence with his consent.

Yesterday his defence counsel, Tim Roberts, QC, said it "would not be in the defendant's interest to be present" as sentence was passed.

Stewart has been in the care of the secure Caswell Clinic in Bridgend for almost a year.

In mitigation, Mr Roberts said Stewart was "remorseful" for what he had done and always admitted he committed an unlawful killing.

Sentencing, Mr Justice Elias said there was "no evidence to suggest Pauline Jones was to blame in any way for this terrible attack".

He ordered Stewart to serve at least 12 years in custody before being eligible for parole.

* VICTIM'S FAMILY TELL OF PAIN

MRS Jones' two children Nicola Fairbrother, 36, and Neil Jones, 32, spoke for the first time after the hearing yesterday.

In a joint statement they said: "My mother was a very caring woman who would go out of her way to help anyone in need. This unfortunately proved to be her downfall.

"She did not have a cruel or malicious bone in her body yet died in such a brutal way which is not what anyone of her nature deserves.

"Melvin Stewart deserves everything he gets in the future, I hope he suffers as much as my mother did in the hours before she finally died after being so savagely beaten.

"I cannot imagine how terrified she must have been while she was being attacked by that vicious and vile man.

"I cannot bring myself to think about the horrors which ensued as I am sure I would end up with a mental illness, anxiety and depression, such as that allegedly suffered by Melvin Stewart.

"To think we welcomed him into our family and how he had held my son in his arms makes me feel physically ill and totally deceived.

"It was painful having to wait nearly three months for the funeral to take place and a further wait for the trial date has been agonising.

"Now the trial is over we can hopefully begin to properly grieve. Twelve months is a long time to wait for justice to be done.

"Whatever sentence is given and subsequently served will not bring Pauline back but we hope that Melvin Stewart will be detained for a considerable time so as not to cause any further harm to any other person.

"Pauline Jones was 100 per cent innocent and Melvin Stewart will always be 100 per cent guilty of murder in our eyes.

"We would like to thank our friends and family for their support during this very difficult time and also express our thanks to Gwent Police for their commitment in the pursuit of justice."