“We, Gemma’s family, would like to thank Thames Valley Major Crime Unit, the Crown Prosecution Service and Prosecution Counsel for their support and relentless efforts to bring Burrows to justice.
“The last eight months have been extremely difficult following the devastating realisation of Gemma’s brutal murder on 15 October 2008.
“Gemma was our first child and first granddaughter to both sets of grandparents, and at just 22 years of age, was just beginning her adult life. Gemma was a friendly, outgoing, bubbly, full-of-life girl, until Burrows squeezed that life from her. She had many friends and nothing was too much trouble for Gemma where friends and family were concerned.
“We all miss Gemma enormously every day and she will never die in our hearts, mind and memories.
“Burrows has failed to offer any explanation for his actions, and has shown no remorse other than for the predicament in which he now finds himself. He has been described by his own defence team as a ‘poor historian’, in other words he is a bare-faced liar who lied his way into Gemma’s life and our family home. He has then continued to lie to doctors about his actions on 15 October 2008, and his defence team have tried to argue that this in some way attributed to his mental health.”
Today’s verdict
“We thank the jury today in bringing the only verdict possible in this case, that of murder. As to the sentence give by Justice Cook, of life with a minimum term of 15 years, we consider this to be totally inadequate. Gemma was just 22, Burrows is 34. This means he will be eligible for parole when he is just 49. Unfortunately, Gemma will never be released from the sentence Burrow inflicted on her.”
