A jealous chef was jailed for a minimum of 18 years today for beating his millionaire heiress Chinese girlfriend to death over a phone message from another man.

Jordan Matthews, 23, who claimed to be a black belt in karate, was convicted of murdering Xixi Bi, 24, whose brother says he has 'ripped the heart' out of his family.

His victim moved to Britain for her education and was in line to take over the multi-million pound family business back in Nanjing, China, when she completed her masters in International Business.

But she fell under Matthews' spell in 2015 and would use her wealth to lavish him with gifts and luxury trips abroad.

Before she died the 'brilliant student' was missing lectures because of his months of 'controlling and coercive behaviour' and her weight had also plummeted to 7st.

Xixi went to hospital with a broken jaw a month before she died in August last year and was killed when Matthews flew into a rage after wrongly suspecting her of getting a text message from another man and left her with catastrophic injuries.

Killer: Jordan Matthews, 23, left, a black belt in karate, was jailed for at least 18 years for murdering his wealthy Chinese girlfriend Xixi Bi, 24, right

Abusive: During their relationship Xixi's fell to just 7st and the 'brilliant student' was missing lectures because of his months of 'controlling and coercive behaviour'

As he was jailed for life with a minimum 18 years today her brother Zexun told the court Matthews had 'ripped the heart' of his family.

Chinese media have reported that Xixi's father is a billionaire transport mogul in the food industry.

Her brother told the court in a statement: 'Xixi was needlessly and selfishly killed by Jordan Matthews, a person which she trusted.

'Xixi was a kind, friendly, approachable person. She was intelligent and had the whole world in front of her.

'My father and mother will never get to see Xixi get married, and won't get the opportunity to hand over the running of the company.

'The company was a multi million pound company, and Xixi was in line to take over that company.

'The heart has been ripped out of our family. We as a family will never come to terms with our loss, and Xixi will always be in our hearts however broken they are.'

When Xixi was brutally killed on August 19 last year Matthews claimed he and his girlfriend of 16 months had just had a 'bicker' and called 999 to say she was struggling to breathe.

But when paramedics arrived her body was so battered and bruised one medic thought she was already dead. She died in hospital the next day.

His victim, who bankrolled his lifestyle and trips across Europe, called her a 'worthless piece of s**t' and would tell her he would hit her if she did not perform sex acts on him.

Mrs Justice Davies outlined the abusive relationship between Matthews and Miss Bi from when they met in April 2015.

She said: 'Xixi Bi was a generous and loving young woman.

'When you met Xixi you were unemployed. She was the daughter of wealthy parents living in China.

'She came to the UK for her education ... Xixi provided you with a home, clothing, she bought a car for you. You took what she gave.'

Anger: Matthews has been labelled 'selfish, mindless and gutless' by Miss Bi's family today

Miss Bi's studies started to suffer after she began a relationship with Matthews (pictured together), and he lived off her money and enjoyed trips across Europe

Matthews, 24, called the 999 operator 'darling' as he explained he had been 'really, really horrible' to his diminutive girlfriend - in fact he had rained dozens of blows on her, causing 'massive bruising' and multiple fractures.

His trial heard she went into cardiac arrest at 8.30am on August 19 last year because of complications from her multiple injuries.

After his arrest denied murdering Miss Bi, 24, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter, insisting he had not meant to kill her.

Matthews' texts to his girlfriend revealed he called her a 'worthless piece of s**t' and would beat her around the head

But on Friday a jury found him guilty of murder after a 10-day trial at Cardiff Crown Court.

Born in China, Miss Bi was educated in the UK from the age of 15 and was a post-graduate student at Cardiff Metropolitan University at the time of her death.

Matthews has been labelled 'selfish, mindless and gutless' by Miss Bi's family today, who described her as an 'intelligent and energetic person who had a very bright future and her whole life in front of her'.

In a statement released by South Wales Police, they said she was a much-loved daughter, granddaughter, sister and friend.

'All this was taken away from her, and us, by the selfish, mindless and gutless actions of Jordan Mathews, who brutally killed her for no other reason than jealousy,' they said.

'He has wallowed in self-pity and refused to accept the truth.

'This has meant that we have had to endure having to hear the events of Xixi's death played out in the public arena of the crown court and the media.

'The heart has been ripped out of our family.'

The family thanked the police and the prosecution for their work to ensure 'justice has been done'.

They added: 'We accept the decision of the court and hope that the sentence imposed upon Jordan Mathews will prevent him ever having the opportunity to hurt anyone else and give him time to reflect on his actions.'

Detective chief inspector Gareth Morgan, said Miss Bi 'was enjoying her life living and studying in Cardiff, but that tragically changed when she met Jordan Matthews'.

He said Matthews identified her vulnerabilities and manipulated them with his 'controlling and coercive behaviour which escalated into extreme and sustained violence that led to her death'.

She met Matthews in April 2015 on the dating website Plenty of Fish and they moved in together soon after.

The couple lived first in her apartment at the Hayes in Cardiff city centre before moving to France together so Miss Bi could improve her language skills.

Matthews, who repeated over and over in his police interview how much he had loved his 'amazing girl', said that was the first time he had been abroad.

They returned to South Wales after her visa was rejected and moved into the Ely Road flat in the Llandaff area of the city, which the jury heard was not as nice as Miss Bi was used to.

During their relationship, Miss Bi lost contact with her ex-boyfriend, lost weight, stopped taking care of her appearance and became 'quiet, withdrawn and submissive', according to friends.

Her attendance on her university course dropped and she was forced to resit a year after missing a number of deadlines.

The polyglot, who spoke excellent English, French and Spanish, supported Matthews financially, paying for his clothes, food, accommodation and a car.

Evidence: The day before Miss Bi's death, the student (left and right) had travelled to London to visit a friend who spotted bruising on her face. A month before that she suffered a broken jaw

Lies: A transcript of Matthews' (left) police interview was read out to the jury at Cardiff Crown Court in which he said: 'The last thing I would ever do to my beautiful Bi is kill her'

Meanwhile, her brother said he saw her she wearing very heavy make-up with what looked like bruises underneath and neighbours reported hearing the sound of arguing coming from their ground-floor flat.

She was admitted to hospital the month before her death for surgery on a broken jaw, which she claimed happened when she fell down stairs while wearing heels at home.

TIMELINE OF TORMENT: XIXI BI AND MATTHEWS'S TURBULENT RELATIONSHIP Jordan Matthews and Xixi Bi met on dating site Plenty Of Fish in April 2015. This is how their relationship developed: April 2015 - Matthews and Ms Bi go on a date in Cardiff after meeting online and move in together soon afterwards. March 2016 - The couple have an argument and Matthews sends his girlfriend a message calling her a 'worthless piece of s***'. May 2016 - The victim's brother Zexun Bi notices bruising around her eyes, which she has tried to cover with make-up. Two months later, Ms Bi is admitted to hospital for surgery on her jaw and tells doctors she fell down stairs at home, despite living in a ground-floor flat. August 18 - She spends the day in London with a friend, but Matthews becomes convinced she is cheating on him. August 19, 1.30am - After Matthews picks her up from Cardiff Central station, the fatal assault begins. Matthews claims it lasts for 10 minutes but a neighbour reports hearing crying all night. August 19, 8.30am - Matthews makes a 999 call, telling the call handler: 'Me and her had a bicker last night.' Paramedics arrive and find Ms Bi lying on the bedroom floor as Matthews claims: 'I didn't punch her.' She is pronounced dead in hospital an hour later. Advertisement

The jury heard messages sent between the pair, which included one where Matthews said to Miss Bi: 'F*** you. Stop texting me you worthless piece of s**t.

'You never do anything right. I can't be bothered texting you.'

In another he said: 'I have to hit you repeatedly in the head while screaming at you.'

On the day before she was killed, Miss Bi, who weighed 7st 9lb, arrived back in Cardiff from a trip to London at around midnight and was picked up by Matthews.

They went for something to eat before returning home, where a neighbour was woken at 1am by the sound of a male voice shouting, noises that she told police continued throughout the night.

Paul Lewis, QC, prosecuting, said a post-mortem examination showed Miss Bi had suffered 'numerous and widespread' bruises over her head, face, shoulders, chest, arms and legs, which indicated multiple 'blunt impacts' by fist, knee or foot.

Other bruises were caused by a rod or stick-like weapon, he added.

'The defendant beat Miss Bi to death in her own home and in a vicious, sustained and prolonged attack that he launched upon her,' he said.

As well as new injuries, which included a broken jaw and broken ribs, she was also found to have a number of healing injuries.

Matthews was arrested and told officers he became violent after he saw what he thought was a dating app message on Miss Bi's phone.

He claimed they had argued 'four' times during their relationship but that he had never hit her before.

After hitting her on the night before she died, they made up and had sexual intercourse, he said, adding 'make-up sex was always better than normal sex anyway'.

Matthews told police he had been planning to propose to Miss Bi and offered to show them the ring.