Murderer who killed Biggleswade mum-of-three Sarah Albone jailed for minimum of 32 years

A Biggleswade man has been jailed for a minimum of 32 years after he was found guilty of murdering his ex-partner.

Matthew Waddell was convicted earlier this week of killing Sarah Albone, 38, and dumping her body in the wheelie bin outside of her house in Biggleswade. Sarah, who was a mum-of-three, was reported missing to Bedfordshire Police on February 21. Friends and family had been concerned about Sarah, her relationship with Waddell and her lack of communication with them.

It soon became clear that Waddell had lied to her family for weeks after claiming that Sarah was in hospital being treated for her mental health and that she could not take calls due to her phone being broken.

As part of the missing person investigation, Waddell spoke to police officers and again claimed that Sarah was in hospital. He went as far as to claim she was ‘safe’. Shortly after their visit, officers received a text message from someone pretending to be Sarah. Hospital records and phone data did not corroborate Waddell’s stories.

Four days after Sarah was reported missing, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit launched a murder investigation and arrested Waddell.

Officers searched their address in Winston Crescent and found a large amount of blood around the house. Despite Waddell’s attempts to conceal Sarah’s body, she was discovered on the property shortly after. Her body had been stuffed into a purple suitcase, along with blood-stained carpet and a pair of gloves – which were all found in the wheelie bin.

A post-mortem gave the cause of death as airway obstruction caused by catastrophic injuries to her head, and it was believed she died in November 2022.

Today (September 14), Waddell, of Winston Crescent, Biggleswade, was sentenced at Luton Crown Court to life in prison and will serve a minimum of 32 years. From the dock, Waddell saw family and friends of Sarah wearing light blue shirts emblazoned with her face.

Her family paid tribute to “the beautiful ray of sunshine” in a victim impact statement read out during the hearing. Her mother Paula Minnis said: “Matthew lied for months pretending to be her. He told us she was getting treatment when he had brutally killed her and kept her hidden at her house.” Nikita Clayton, one of Sarah’s sisters, said: “She was found in a bin, disposed of like a piece of rubbish, like nothing.”

Judge Michael Simon told him: “It is difficult for anyone to conceive the terror Ms Albone must have experienced and how frightened and helpless she must have felt against you.” He said that his subsequent actions showed a “callous disregard” for her in death.

The judge said he passed the minimum term of 32 years for the “unrestrained brutality of attack, the persistence of it through various modes until the death was assured, her vulnerability, the domestic context and the concealment of her body.”

Detective Chief Inspector Iain Moor, of the Bedfordshire, Cambridge and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit said: “This was a horrifically violent and despicable crime which has cost a woman her life.

“Sarah was a vulnerable woman who made several attempts to leave Waddell, but he continued to manipulate her in a bid to remain a part of her life. When he felt like he was fully losing control of the relationship, he launched his fatal attack.

“His actions did not end after the attack. He went to great lengths to try and cover up what he had done, and he continued his coercive behaviour as he lied to Sarah’s family and friends.”