12-year jail term for 'wicked' Wolverhampton white spirit killer

A "wicked" killer who doused a businesswoman with white spirit after finding her in bed with his brother-in-law at a Midlands restaurant was today starting a 12-year jail sentence for her "truly appalling" death.

Andy Mao poured more than two litres of chemicals over Jenny Lam, which burnt 75 per cent of her body. She died five months later in hospital.

He also cut her lover Ian Vuong on the arm as he tied up the couple and held them prisoner in her Wolverhampton city centre restaurant.

The killer was on the run for almost seven years following the May 2004 attack until being arrested on April 19 this year after being spotted by chance by Miss Lam's son Stephen in London.

Mao, now 49, showed no emotion in the dock at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday afternoon as Judge John Wait told him: "You were enraged when you found the couple. That anger was justified because your sister had been betrayed but what you did could in no way be justified."

Mao from Lewisham, admitted wounding and falsely imprisoning 49-year-old Mr Vuong and received prison terms for those offences to be served at the same time as the 12 years he received for killing Miss Lam.