AN “ODDBALL” fantasist has today been jailed for life with a minimum 30 years for murdering and raping barmaid India Chipchase after luring her into a taxi outside a cocktail bar.

Edward Tenniswood was overheard telling India Chipchase “don’t worry, I’ll get you home safe” after she had been on a night out with friends.

Today a jury of six men and six women took just one hour 45 minutes to return a unanimous guilty verdict following a ten-day trial at Birmingham Crown Court.

16 India Chipchase was last seen being led away from a bar before she was found dead in Tenniswood’s flat Credit: Rex Features

16 Edward Tenniswood was today found guilty of raping and murdering India Chipchase Credit: SWNS

Today loner Tenniswood, 52, was found guilty of her murder after being described by his own defence barrister as "an oddball".

As the verdicts were delivered Tenniswood looked down and raised his eyebrows, and then dropped his face into his hands.

Sentencing him to life the judge, Mr Justice Saunders, told the court: "This was a terrible crime. It was committed because the defendant was determined to satisfy his own sexual desires on an attractive and much younger woman. It was a crime of utter depravity."

India's family, who were in the public gallery of the court, wept.

Her father Jeremy Chipchase said: "I sincerely hope there's no possibility that another woman ever falls into the hands of my daughter's murderer."

The judge added: "To lose a child at any time and for any reason is a tragedy, but to lose a daughter in the way India's parents did is unimaginable."

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Tragic India, 20, was found covered by a sheet on a mattress on the floor in a bedroom at book-keeper Tenniswood’s home in January this year.

Birmingham Crown Court had earlier heard how India’s body was found with over 30 separate injuries after she was raped, battered and strangled to death.

Doctor's daughter India - who was 5ft 1in and weighed 8st 5lbs - had gone out with friends in Northampton the night of Friday January 29 but they became separated.

She ended up outside the front entrance of a club at about 1am on the Saturday morning.

As India was led from the nightclub the worse for wear earlier that night, bouncer David Burry recalled her repeatedly telling him: "I just want to go home."

The bouncer took her to a taxi but, according to the driver, she "threw a wobbly" when asked to pay the fare in advance and got out to lean against the nightclub's wall.

At 1.11am, Tenniswood arrived at NB's nightclub, with CCTV showing him turning to look at Ms Chipchase, who was standing alone using her phone, before homing in on her minutes later.

Tenniswood could be seen craning his head over Ms Chipchase and putting his arm around her in chilling CCTV.

A witness overheard him say: "'We'll make sure we get you home in a taxi safely'."

16 Birmingham Crown Court heard how India’s body was found under a sheet on a mattress Credit: Rex Features

16 India had gone out with friends in Northampton but became separated from them Credit: Rex Features

The CCTV footage showed predator Tenniswood speaking to Ms Chipchase before he “led, steered or escorted” her to a cab, and then back at his home raped and killed her.

Christopher Donnellan QC said of Tenniswood: “He was overheard by others to say ‘Not to worry’, and he’d get her home safe – he didn’t.”

“He is an oddball" Samuel Stein QC

Prosecutors said there was evidence that Ms Chipchase put up a struggle against her attacker, with Tenniswood’s blood under one of her fingernails

Tenniswood claimed that India motioned him to strangle her while they were sharing consensual sex.

But the court also heard how vile Tenniswood had previously throttled a teenage girl and tried to forcibly kiss her.

Closing the defence case, Samuel Stein QC told the jury: "He is an oddball. He is a man who is infuriating because he cannot and does not stop talking.”

16 Chilling CCTV showed the moment Edward Tenniswood approached tragic India outside a nightclub Credit: Northamptonshire Police

16 Moments earlier India was shown on her phone outside the club Credit: Northamptonshire Police

16 The pair were seen getting into a taxi on CCTV Credit: Northamptonshire Police

16 CCTV footage and Images shown during the trial of Edward Tenniswood showed him leading India to a cab Credit: Northamptonshire Police

Distraught friends of India described how they lost her during the night out.

They said although it was out of character for her to disappear without saying goodbye they assumed she had gone home because she was drunk.

Pal Harry Moylan said: “We looked everywhere for her but couldn’t find her. We thought she’d either gone home, or met up with other friends.”

16 Tenniswood left India's body in his home and went to a nearby hotel where he was arrested Credit: Northamptonshire Police

16 India’s body was found with over thirty separate injuries and her hair was pulled up around her head like "a halo" Credit: Northamptonshire Police

16 Giving evidence Edward Tenniswood described what happened at his rented house in Northampton Credit: SWNS - Birmingham

When police smashed their way through the front door of Edward Tenniswood's squalid home in Northampton, they found lifeless India Chipchase upstairs on a mattress on the floor with a sheet pulled over her.

Her hair was pulled up around her head like "a halo", the court heard.

Instead of raising the alarm Tenniswood spent the next 22 hours drinking lager in an Ibis hotel until police arrested him.

He told them: “I'm surprised you were here so quick. It didn't take you long.”

Following sentencing Detective Chief Inspector Steve Woliter called Tenniswood "the worst kind of predator".

Residents living near Tenniswood's home called on the property to be bulldozed and turned into a memorial garden.

One neighbour said: "It's the house from hell where the devil himself murdered an innocent woman in the prime of her life.

"It needs to come down as soon as possible and turned into a memorial garden or something."

As Tenniswood was sentenced, he continued to stare at the ground tightly flanked by four security guards.

Police revealed the vile killer, who had no previous convictions, was caught after his image - taken off the nightclub CCTV footage - was identified by an officer, which led to cops breaking down his door and discovering Ms Chipchase dead.

16 The court heard the barmaid had a catalogue of bruises and scratches ‘typical of inflicted injury’ Credit: SWNS

16 Privately-educated doctor’s daughter India was reported missing when she failed to arrive back at her mum’s home Credit: Rex Features

16 India Chipchase with boyfriend Evaan Reihana, a professional rugby player Credit: Rex Features

EDWARD TENNISWOOD: THE LITTLE MIX-OBSESSED ODDBALL WHO FANTASISED ABOUT DATING SUPERMODELS KILLER Edward Tenniswood showed himself to be a delusional oddball during his trial. The vile murderer spoke of dating supermodels, his “luck” with women and why he kept clippings of girl bands at his rented home. During his delusion ramblings he told the jury he was “very successful” with women, once dated a fashion model and had a string of “attractive” ex-girlfriends. But the reality of Tenniswood’s reclusive life was very different and today a jury found the loner guilty of murdering barmaid India Chipchase.

On his second day giving evidence, Tenniswood, said he kept a collection of magazine clippings of girl bands in his Northampton home – including girl band Little Mix.

Prosecutor Chris Donnellan QC asked him: “What are they showing? They are showing females, very pretty ones.”

Tenniswood replied: “Yes, I haven’t had an immensely successful life, but I’m lucky enough to have had some very attractive girlfriends, one of whom was a very successful fashion model actually.

“I have had some extremely attractive ex girlfriends, is that a crime?”

Telling jurors he dated a model between the "late '80s, bordering into the '90s" he added: "I've got photos with her lipstick on for goodness' sake, I wouldn't make something like that up."

Asked about four pictures he kept as "ornaments" in his kitchen area, he replied: "They remind me of ex-girlfriends".

And when asked about another picture of “young females” in a magazine in his home, Tenniswood said: “That’s Little Mix. I’m probably going to get sued by Little Mix now.

“Because I’m familiar with photographic styles and been out with fashion models.

“If you want to say they are attractive then yes, yes they are attractive. Although they are actually quite plain, but the photographer did a fantastic job of it.”

Tenniswood is, by his own defence barrister’s admission, "an oddball”. Samuel Stein QC told the jury: “He is an oddball. He is a man who is infuriating because he cannot and does not stop talking.” His neighbour Peter England, described how there “were no curtains or carpets on the floor, just newspapers” at his rented home where tragic India was found dead.

He added: “It is a messy house. There is grease everywhere.”

The former bookkeeper said he accidentally strangled 20-year-old India to death when they were engaged in “mildly kinky” sex – but had denied murder. But the court also heard how vile Tenniswood had previously throttled a teenage girl and tried to forcibly kiss her. In a further sign of his disturbed nature he said he wished he had left a note for “darling” India.

He said: “I wish I had left a note that said ‘India darling, I will be back in 20 minutes, love Eddie.'”

He even went as far as saying how hugged his victim “liked we were posing for a selfie” after claiming she kissed him first.

Tenniswood claimed the moment was “an incredibly moving thing” as he described he and Ms Chipchase embracing and looking at their reflections together in an upstairs mirror.

Tenniswood said: “She just made this incredibly moving comment which at the time was very sweet.

“It was a very ‘India’ thing to do.”

In reality Tenniswood had lured tragic India to his rented home, raped and killed her before re-dressing her and making his way to a hotel where he was arrested by police.

Prosecutor Chris Donnellan QC summed up Tenniswood when he told jurors at Birmingham Crown Court to not “believe a word this defendant says”.

He added: “He knew she was dead, he knew he had killed her.”

16 Police on the road in Northampton where the body of India Chipchase was found Credit: SWNS

16 NB's cocktail bar and club where India had been enjoying a night out with friends Credit: SWNS

Tragic timeline leading to India’s murder

January 29

11.30pm: India seen on CCTV entering NB's Cocktail Bar & Club in Bridge Street, Northampton with friends.

January 30

12.15am: India captured on security cameras inside the bar being helped up by her friend Alice Lewis after downing six Jagerbomb cocktails.

12.39am: India seen on CCTV slumped on the bar before dropping her handbag on the floor.

12.45am: Miss Lewis tries to find India in NB's but fails to locate her.

12.58am: India is separated from her friends and tells doorman Dave Burry "I just want to go home". He escorts her outside to a taxi, but she becomes "upset" when the driver asks for money and gets out.

1.08am: CCTV shows India stumbling outside. Mr Burry walks back outside and India falls over onto him and tells her again "I want to go home". He goes back inside but tells colleagues to "keep an eye on her".

1.11am: CCTV shows Tenniswood arriving and queuing outside NB's. He appears to glance at India, who is seen behind him pulling a locked car door believing it is a taxi.

1.13am: Tenniswood approaches India who is sitting down on the pavement crying on her phone. Tenniswood grips her arm and is overheard saying "Don't worry, I'll get you home safe."

1.23am: Tenniswood steers India towards a taxi rank, a witness overhears him telling her to put her phone away "for safety".

1.25am: Taxi driver is told by Tenniswood to take them to McDonalds. He pulls away down Bridge Street, where Tenniswood tells him to go to a different McDonalds.

Tenniswood then tells the driver to pull over at a BP garage near his home, where he gets out of the car for four minutes.

1.28am: India tries to call her boyfriend Grant Hare for the last time.

1.35am: Tenniswood gets back in and directs the driver to the end of Stanley Road, but tells him to stop a few hundred yards away from his home.

1.40am: Witness Patrick Francis sees Tenniswood guiding India towards his house, 6 Stanley Road, before ushering her inside.

1.41am - 1.49am: India sends series of Snapchats, including one which read: "Where are Club."

3am: India has been raped and strangled to death by Tenniswood.

3.03am: Grant Hare tries to call India three times, but her phone rings out.

4pm: India fails to arrive for her job as a barmaid at The Collingtree pub and restaurant. Her parents report her missing and a huge police search and social media campaign is launched.

9.30pm: CCTV footage shows Tenniswood entering the Ibis Hotel in Mair Fair, Northampton, after going for a kebab to "clear his head".

January 31

3.22am: Tenniswood uses the hotel computer to access news websites, where he looked up the search for India.

3.38am: Tenniswood leaves the hotel for around 30 minutes after staff are asked to call the police on an unrelated matter.

3.45pm: Police break down door of 6 Stanley Road, Northampton, and find India's body on a mattress with her hair placed "like a halo" around her head.

6.47pm: Police arrive at hotel and find Tenniswood watching TV in the lounge. He is arrested on suspicion of murder. He tells officers: "I'm surprised you were so quick.

You didn't take very long to find me."

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