‘The sustained attack was brutal. Her terror can only be imagined’
loved gardening the Royal British Saturday nights.
Her husband, a retired Fleet Street printer, died 11 years ago.
Judge Katz said: “Mrs Coleman lived a full and independent life supported by a large and loving family.
“The attack with the hammer was brutal and sustained for long enough that she sustained defensive injuries. She was a vulnerable, standing at just 4ft11in tall. Her terror can only be imagined.”
Prause, of Romford, admitted murder last May. He had worked for Mrs Coleman for five years as a handyman and gardener.
Judge Katz told the killer: “Some of her family had their doubts about you but she trusted you and let you have a key to her home.”
Gambling addict Prause pulled on a pair of latex gloves before going to Mrs Coleman’s house last May to steal her jewellery worth thousands.
The haul included her wedding ring, set with five large diamonds, which is still missing.
A blood-stained latex glove finger was found snagged on the wardrobe door handle. Tests revealed DNA profiles of Mrs Coleman and her killer. A packet of latex gloves was and going Legion club to on found in Prause’s car, with one pair missing. After the killing, he threw the hammer and his blood-spattered clothes into the river Rom along with less valuable jewellery. Police found a £7,000 ring belonging to Mrs Coleman in the killer’s shed.
CCTV footage revealed he had gone to the house three times that morning – not twice as he claimed.
Questioned by detectives, the killer at first said he was muddled over timings. In a final interview, he confessed but accused Mrs Coleman of making him furious by telling him to “grow up”.
After the hearing, Detective Chief Inspector Paul Considine said: “He said he became angry after she made a jokey comment to him but the police investigation and the prosecution maintain that his motive that day was to steal Rose’s precious jewellery and when she confronted him, he murdered her.”
Judge Katz heard impact statements from Mrs Coleman’s family.
Her daughter Sharon Thomas wrote: “There has not been a part of my life that has not been not only touched but almost devastated by the most violent death of my mum. This would not have been the same if mum had died from natural causes.” Mrs Thomas had been chatting on the phone to her mother shortly before the killer called.
“I have this terrible feeling of guilt. Maybe if we had carried on talking, we would still have been on the phone talking when he arrived and the whole situation would’ve been different and Mum would still be here. How I wish that was possible.”