A GRETA man who strangled his ex-girlfriend and dumped her body on the banks of the Hunter River has been sentenced to at least 14 years and three months jail.
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George Robert Ballantyne, 31, had admitted to murdering Clare Weston after a late-night conversation about their relationship turned violent on March 9 last year.
Ballantyne would later tell a friend ‘‘I f---in’ snapped and just killed her’’ and stood ashen faced in Newcastle Supreme Court on Thursday as Justice Robert Allan Hulme sentenced him.
Members of Ms Weston’s family yelled at Ballantyne to ‘‘enjoy the next 15 years’’ before he was taken away to serve his sentence.
Justice Hulme said Ballantyne had callously left her body semi-naked on the banks of the swollen Hunter River at Aberglasslyn after an hour-long late-night conversation about their ailing relationship.
He said Ballantyne had not been honest and frank about what he had done and that although he may be sad and regretful, he had not shown genuine remorse.
Justice Hulme sentenced Ballantyne to a maximum of 19 years.
