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A man burned alive his heavily pregnant teenage lover because he didn’t want to be a father.

Eren Toben, the father-to-be, and his friend lured Maria Peiner, 19, into a wood on the outskirts of Berlin to kill her.

In Germany the killer and his accomplice friend were each caged for 14 years for the horrific crime.

Jud Regina Alex said of Toben, who hatched the plot: “For him the crime was a solution, he wanted a free, happy life which he had control over.

"He abused Maria’s love for him to lure her into an ambush."

Maria was eight months pregnant and looking forward to becoming a mother, the court heard.

But in January last year Toben, together with his old schoolpal Daniel Mueller, 20, lied to her that they were going to go shopping for baby clothes.

Once in the woods he hit her with a piece of wood, stabbed her with a bread knife and then poured petrol over her and set her alight.

The judge said: “She was still conscious, it could have been 10, 20, 30 seconds - she was still moving.”

The body was found by a walker the next day and the pair responsible for her death were soon in custody and blaming each other.

Read more:Man on murder charge for tragic baby aged 5 months set for court

But Toben's fingerprints were on the handle of the knife found near her charred remains.

Both remained silent during the trial.

Of his accomplice the judge said: "He acted for the sole purpose of taking pleasure in the destruction of another human being’s life.”

Speaking after the trial, Maria’s brother said; “I hope that our family can finally have some peace.”

Both men have been jailed for 14 years.