A midwifery student was murdered by a married member of her orthodox church who used chat up manuals to send flirtatious messages in defiance of strict religious rules.

Joy Morgan, 20, has not been seen since leaving the Israel United in Christ London on Boxing Day. However, today Shohfah-El Israel, 40, of Cricklewood, north London - a “dishonest and manipulative” married father - was convicted of her murder after driving her home from the church where they met.

The “warm, loving and caring” student's body has never been recovered, despite extensive police searches of hundreds of acres of land in Hertfordshire.

Church members saying they were surprised at her apparent departure, however they did not report her missing. It was her mother Carol Morgan, who is not a member of the church, who reported her disappearance to police in February - six weeks after she was last seen.

Israel - whose birth name is Ajibola Shogbamimu - made no reaction as he was convicted by jurors at Reading Crown Court on a single count of murder. Sentencing him to life in prison, with a minimum term of 17 years, Judge Michael Soole told him: "Only you know the circumstances of your terrible deed and why you did it” as he accused him of a “cruel and cowardly silence” about Ms Morgan’s final resting place.