The family of a woman who vanished without trace more than a decade ago said they are desperate to know where her remains were dumped - after her killer was sentenced for her murder.

Darren Osment, 41, was give a life sentence today (Wed) and told he would serve a minimum of 20 years for killing mother-of-four Claire Holland.

She was last seen leaving a pub in Bristol at the time of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and, despite a number of high-profile appeals and campaigns over the years, no trace of her has ever been found.

Bristol Crown Court heard he murdered Claire and made multiple confessions that he did it - including to an undercover police officer - because their child was taken into care.

She was 32 at the time and had said she had planned to meet with Osment on the night of 6 June 2012 after a drinking session at the Seamus O'Donnell pub.

He was found guilty of murder after a trial and was today (Wed) described by a judge as a "vile" selfish killer who prolonged the family's agony for 11 years by a judge."

Claire's family told the court they have never been able to properly grieve as her killer has never admitted what he did with her body.

And sentencing him, the Honorable Mrs Justice Cutts told him: "You robbed her of the future she deserved. "

"You took her from her children. You have made her suffering so much worse by the way you have behaved since her death."

"For 11 long years no-one except you knew what happened to Claire. "

"There was an extensive police missing person investigation that failed to find her."

"You could and should have told police what happened. You should and could have admitted you killed Claire. They were left with the agony of not knowing where she was or what happened."

"You left the family in limbo."

"Yet it was clear you could not live with the burden of what you had done."

"I accept you were haunted by it and to relive that you made confessions - to six people in all. Had you truly been remorseful you would have told the police and faced the consequences of your crime."

"You thought only of yourself."

The judge said after a difficult early life at the time of her death Claire was starting a "new chapter in her life" and was "rightly proud of herself."

She added: "It is clear from the deeply moving impact statements that she was a warm and vivacious person who was deeply loved."

"She had high hopes she would in time be able to have her children live with her."

"She was happy and optimistic about the future."

"A fresh start was ahead of her - you robbed her of that fresh start - you robbed her of the future she deserved."

The judge told him: "You were, in the words of your mother, a vile drunk and abusive and violent to women. Claire was on the receiving end of that violence."

In her remarks, the judge also rejected his claim on one of his confessions that he hired someone to kill her.

"I am sure you killed her yourself," she added. "You were living hand to mouth and did not have the means to pay someone else do to - it was a way to distance yourself from the horror of what you have done."

"You could and should have told Claire's family what you had done to her body but there was not a shred of remorse."

The judge said she was sure he was "responsible for the dismemberment and concealment of her body" and said it was "most likely" she was strangled and dumped in the water."

"For their sake I urge you to stand up for what you have done - and identify where the body may be found so her body can be laid to rest."

At today's hearing, several victim impact statements were also read out at court from Claire's family.

Her sister Sarah Holland said: "It never gets easier - she is missed and loved dearly."

"Not being able to fully grieve has been extremely hard."

"Not being able to say goodbye to my sister has left a hole that will never be filled."

"She never got a final resting place - that was something else that was stolen from her. "

"The pain and grief will never leave me - I just continue to learn new ways to live with it."

Another of Claire's sisters Michaela Holland said after so many years: "Today we got justice for Claire."

She said Osment had caused her dad "unimaginable pain" and read texts from Claire sent to him just before she disappeared. "

One of them read: "I'm sorry of the mess I made with my life. I'm putting it right."

She added: "Because of you, Claire has missed out on so much."

"Because of you we walk the streets with fear in our hearts."

"You have made the world feel unsafe for the woman in our family."

"You have destroyed our family - we have so many questions, what were her last words, did she see it coming."

"We just want to lay her to rest."

In her statement, Claire's mother Jacqueline Vaughan said in the last few months of her life it was "lovely to see her so happy". "

"The future was looking good," she added. "

Claire's daughter Rosie Hall told Osment: "You will never understand the pain you've caused me."

"Hearing what happened during the trial was very distressing. Your attitude showed no remorse, no respect for my family. I'll never forgive you for what you've done and the damage you caused me."

During the trial, the jury heard Osment had 'confessed' on a number of occasions during the years to 'unburden' himself as he struggled to live with his 'horrific' actions.

In one confession to police call-handlers, he said he had strangled her as "no c**t, no stupid bitch is going to keep me away from my boy."

Osment was released under investigation, but police later launched an undercover operation, for an officer named as "Paddy O'Hara" to be-friend him and build up trust."

It lasted for 20 months and produced 1200 hours of recorded footage.

On one occasion, the jury heard Osment confessed to 'Paddy' he had ‘done horrible f***ing shit’ and could not turn the clock back as ‘what is done is done’.

He also made reference to Claire having a ‘nice fucking swimming lesson’ while he spat on the ground in the direction of the sea and then struggled not to vomit and mentioned her body being ‘half way to Spain.’

Videos of the encounters while driving and sat at home were released by cops after being played to the jury.

In one clip, he imitates a 'slashing' across his body while making a swishing sound and described the 'knife skill' he learnt as a trained chef.

And responding to questions about if her body would float, he responds: "It’s all f**king weighed, it’s all down, it’s not going to come floating back up."

After declaring his trust in 'Paddy' Osment responds: "I don’t f**king cast my mind back to what I had to f**king, do you know what I mean. It’s not f**king pleasant bro. It was f**king horrible."

On another occasion, he described it as "all done and dusted."

"All the f**king work, clothes burnt outside, f**king everything’s gone, everything’s gone," he added."

"As far as I am aware the bits and pieces are scattered."

He later told him: "It makes me feel sick. But I did it for (my child). Cause she harmed my f**king child. And how they were brought up is f**king wrong."

"Don’t f**k with my family. You harm (my child) or (my other child) mate, you’re going to get it."

In an earlier 999 call to police Osment made in July 2019, he also told handlers he wanted to "hand himself in" for murder at Exeter Police station."

He tells them: "I’ve had enough of it all now. I just want the monkey off my back."



He then tells the handler: "I’ve took the law in my own hands and you know she took my son away from me so I took that from her."

When asked what he took from her, Osment added: "Well her f***ing life really….I’m not proud of it, my kid still asks Mother’s Days and things like that. Like at the time I was younger wasn’t I."

"I was young and angry."

When he is arrested, on police body worn footage, he told cops while volunteering his hands to be cuffed: "Had enough up to my eyeballs."

Had enough ducking and diving, looking over my shoulder and all the rest of it.

"I’ve had enough. I just wanna get it, whatever’s done is done. I can’t turn back the clock. I want to get it deal with. I had her killed. I hired…I gave some money to someone and they had it done."

He later claimed in police interview he couldn't remember phoning them or speaking to them on arrival as he was "too drunk."

Bristol Crown Court heard the victim meant the defendant in 2008 when they became colleagues at the same cafe.

She eventually became pregnant with her third child, and his first, but the relationship turned 'sour' and 'abusive' as she was drinking too much, the court heard.

Their relationship was described as "drink driven" but Osment reportedly blamed Claire when their baby was taken into foster care."

The trial heard Claire had been a "troubled" individual but her family said she was just getting her life back together and looking forward to a fresh start and "excited" about a brighter future when she disappeared."

Staff and regulars at the pub where Claire was last seen said she left at one point that evening to buy 'bra inserts' from Primark as she was going to meet Osment - and had wanted to 'dress to impress' him.

In a police statement, the defendant said any confessions were "entirely untrue" due to being under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs."

Closing her remarks the judge also paid tribute to the police operation to bring Osment to justice and for the dignity showed by Claire's family throughout the trial.

She added: "They have the condolences of this court and I hope in time they can find a way together to move on with their lives."