SEX offender Richard Cullen throttled and battered a young mother to death after she derided his favourite character in TV show 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', a court heard yesterday.

Former devil worshipper Cullen (44), of Swansea, south Wales, snapped when Elizabeth Sims-Rees (21) called him a "nonce" for "fancying" a vampire in the show.

Cullen and the young mother were watching the programme at his Gwilfa Road home when she made the fatal remark, Swansea Crown Court heard.

Cullen, who admitted he once ritually sacrificed dogs because "dog" spelt "God" backwards, killed the woman and had sex with her dead body.

Prosecutor James Jenkins said Cullen taped her hands at the wrists and violently struck her head with a rubber mallet. He then throttled her with a shirt tightened round her neck using the mallet for leverage.

Cullen made a full confession after giving himself up to the police on June 23.

He was jailed for life by Mr Justice Richards who described the circumstances of the murder as "truly appalling".

Ian Sims-Rees, her brother, walked out of court holding his head in his hands as full details of the brutal murder unfolded.

Sharon Harlow, her mother, shouted: "You're scum for what you did to that little girl," as Cullen was taken away.

Cullen had claimed that his victim was blackmailing him after finding photographs of him at his home dressed as a woman.