Mick Hartley

That Sam Pybus case…

A man jailed for choking a woman to death during sex will not have his prison sentence increased, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

Sam Pybus, 32, was jailed for four years and eight months after admitting the manslaughter of Sophie Moss, 33, at her home in Darlington on 7 February.

Attorney General Suella Braverman said the sentence was unduly lenient and referred it to the Court of Appeal.

But three judges declined to increase the sentence.

Teesside Crown Court heard Pybus, from Newton Aycliffe, had been drunk when he applied pressure to Ms Moss' neck.

Pybus, who was married, had told police he and Ms Moss had been in a casual relationship for three years and that she encouraged him to strangle her during consensual sex.

In September when he was sentenced, Judge Paul Watson QC reduced the length from seven years after giving credit for his early guilty plea.

The Crown Prosecution Service said there had not been sufficient evidence to support a charge of murder as there was nothing to suggest Pybus intended to kill her or cause serious harm.

The victim, Sophie Moss, confirmed the details from beyond the grave…"Yes, I asked Sam to strangle me. I love a bit of rough stuff, me. Of course he went a bit too far as it happened, but you can't blame the man really: I mean, he was well pissed. The poor lamb. He's suffered enough."