'Family from hell' get life terms

Four family members and a teenager have been jailed for life for killing a mother they had tortured for months.

The five, described as the 'family from hell', were found guilty of murdering Rachel Hudson, 20, whose body was found near Newstead Abbey, Notts, in 2004.

Rachel's husband Craig, 21, his brother Ronald Hudson Jnr, 23, along with their parents Ronald Hudson Snr, 49, and Trudi Hudson, 44, had denied murder.

Elisabeth Hogg, 19, was also convicted.


The family from hell. Ronald and Trudi Hudson, Ronald Hudson Jnr., Craig Hudson, Elisabeth Hogg

Ronald Hudson Jnr will serve at least 17 years, Craig Hudson and Elisabeth Hogg will spend a minimum of 14 years in prison.

Rachel's battered body was found face down in mud near a lake just 17 months after her wedding.

She had suffered more than 60 injuries at their hands in the weeks before she died.

When she was found, 11 of her ribs were fractured and her mouth was so badly injured that her bottom lip had become detached from her skull.

She had also suffered cigarette burns, scalds and heavy bruising as a result of countless attacks with a baseball bat and a piece of wood.

She eventually died of thrombosis caused by a blood clot in her brain that had been left untreated for weeks. It had been brought on by septicaemia, dehydration and repeated assault.

Home Office pathologist Professor Guy Rutty told the court it was the worst case he had ever seen.