A WOMAN who murdered her girlfriend has been handed a life sentence and will serve a minimum of 20 years in prison.

Becky Reid, aged 32, was found guilty of the murder of her partner Lyndsey Vaux, and section 18 assault relating to another woman, aged 37, after a trial at Manchester Crown Court.

On Sunday, May 22 2016, Lyndsey Vaux, from Platt Bridge, was taken to hospital in suspected cardiac arrest and died later that morning.

A Home Office post-mortem examination found that Lyndsey died from multiple injuries and police launched an investigation into her death.

The trial heard how in 2014, Reid, of Hayward Road in Atherton, was living with Miss Vaux in Sydney Street, Platt Bridge.

Over a number of years Reid attacked and abused Miss Vaux, with neighbours seeing her around the area with many different injuries including black eyes, cuts to the lip, a cauliflower ear, bruising to the face and body and a heavy limp.

Neighbours saw Reid attacking her more than once in the street.

On one occasion, Miss Vaux tried to walk away, but Reid punched her in the face, and she fell to the floor, pleading with her to stop but Reid continued to attack her and stamped on her face and body, whilst Miss Vaux lay in the road.

On another occasion, Miss Vaux was stood in front of her house and Reid was stood in the doorway when she attacked her, punching and kicking her as she lay on the pavement, before dragging her into the house.

Reid's mother, Gillian Reid, aged 57 and of Closebrooke Road in Wigan, was found guilty of assault relating to the 37 year old woman and was handed a 12 month sentence suspended for 12 months.

The court heard how mother and daughter, Gillian and Becky Reid also the other woman in 2008 causing her facial fractures.

Senior Investigating Officer Bob Tonge of GMP’s Major Incident Support Unit said “Lyndsey Vaux was subjected to years of horrific domestic abuse at the hands of her girlfriend, and no decision made here today can bring her back.

“Some neighbours knew about this abuse and did nothing. Had they given us the information that they gave us after Lyndsey’s murder then we could have saved her life, and this should act as a stark reminder that we all have a responsibility to stand up to this kind of crime.

“We’re working extremely hard to tackle domestic abuse in the LGBT community, having introduced a specific recording method to track it and taking our front line officers through training on how best to support victims, but we do need the public’s help to continue to tackle domestic abuse in all of our communities.

“My thoughts are with Lyndsey’s family at this difficult time, and I hope this sentence goes some way to finding them justice.”

Greater Manchester Police said that it takes all reports of domestic abuse extremely seriously and victims in the LGBT community, and those worried about members of the LGBT community, can call Galop on 0800 999 5428.

Female victims, and those worried about women, can call the Greater Manchester Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0161 636 7525.

Male victims, and those worried about men, can call The Mens Adviceline on 0808 801 0327 or can visit www.mensadviceline.org.uk.

Greater Manchester’s multi-agency response to same sex domestic abuse, has also invested in a specialist LGBT Independent Domestic Violence Advisor, who works from Independent choices.

There is lots of information for victims, offenders, loved ones and practitioners on the end the fear website at www.sittingrightwithyou.co.uk.