A suspected murderer has died after police used a Taser gun on him after finding him “eating a woman’s face” in a hotel in Wales. Matthew Williams, 34, was found attacking his victim at the Sirhowy Arms Hotel in the town of Argoed. He was Tasered and arrested but later died in hospital.

Staff raised the alarm after the broke down the door and found Williams allegedly eating the 22-year-old woman. She was confirmed dead from her injuries.

Jill Edwards, who lives locally, told the Telegraph that than man was “an animal”. She said: “Security said they told him no girls in his room and he didn’t answer, when they opened his door he was eating her face.”

Williams had just finished a five-and-a-half-year prison sentence for assaulting his partner, who is also believed to live locally.

A spokeswoman for Gwent Police said: “We were called at 1.23am on Thursday after a report that a man was attacking a woman in the Sirhowy Arms Hotel.

“On arrival both the male and female were still at the location. A Taser was discharged and a man was arrested.

“The woman was located with injuries and has since been pronounced deceased.

“While under arrest, the man became unresponsive. Officers and paramedics administered first aid but he has since been pronounced deceased.

“A murder investigation is underway into the death of the woman.”

Police have also confirmed that Williams and the woman already knew one another.

Local councillor Leon Gardiner said that the community was in shock at what had happened: “I have lived here and represented Argoed for over 30 years and this is the worst tragedy that has happened for us as a village. This has hit the community for six.

“I am very disturbed and upset to think this has happened. Argoed is a lovely place. The people who run the Sirhowy Arms Hotel in the village are absolutely brilliant and run it well. Every time I’ve been there it’s been a pleasure.”

A post mortem and formal identification of the man is due at a later date.