LONDON A killer who boasted that he had eaten part of his victim's body with a plate of pasta has been jailed for life by a court in northern England. David Harker told a psychiatrist he had eaten part of 32-year-old Julie Paterson's thigh after murdering her. The mother of four had been reported missing from her home in Darlington in April last year.

A murder hunt was launched after parts of her dismembered body were found in a bag hidden in a garden hedge. Despite police searches for her head, arms and legs, the whole of her body was never recovered. Harker, 24, admitted manslaughter due to diminished responsibility when he appeared in court Wednesday. Police Superintendent Barry Peart, who led the investigation, said he had no doubt that Harker, who has two tattoos across his temple saying `disorder' and `subhuman', killed the woman for pleasure.

He said Harker told more than 25 friends, psychiatrists and acquaintances that he had killed her, but most thought he had been fantasizing. Peart went on: He also said he had eaten part of her thigh, fried it and eaten it with pasta and cheese. He said Paterson was strangled and dismembered in Harker's flat. Three sites in that flat showed signs of dismemberment having taken place.

Julie's legs, arms and head have never been found. After the court hearing, Paterson's father labelled Harker plain evil. Jim Paterson said: I felt sick in court when I heard the details. I cannot believe that anyone could do this to another living person. He has no remorse at all and is just plain evil. (AFP)