A man has been told he must spent at least 12 years in prison having been found guilty of murdering his wife’s lover whose body was found dumped in a ditch in North Weald.

It is the second time that Jayant Ramchurn has been convicted of the killing.

Ramchurn, of Fulwell Avenue, in Barkingside, was originally convicted of the murder of Dharam Luckhee, 29, whose body was discovered in Church Lane – near the Vicarage Lane junction - in April 2005 at Chelmsford Crown Court in July 2006 when he was sentenced to life imprisonment and told that he must serve a minimum of 12 years.

However in June last year the Court of Appeal quashed his conviction and ordered a retrial.

At Ipswich Crown Court last Tuesday (September 9) Ramchurn, 42, was again found guilty of murdering Mr Luckhee and was, once again, sentenced to life imprisonment and told he must serve a minimum of 12 years.

Police had said that Ramchurn had seen the killing as “the only way” to stop the affair.

Mr Luckhee, who was living in Ilford at the time, had a wife and children who were living in Mauritius. Police had described it as a “violent” and “planned” attack.

Senior investigating officer Chief Superintendent Colin Steele said: “It was always the prosecution case that Jayant Ramchurn killed Dharam Luckhee in a planned attack.

“Jayant Ramchurn believed that killing Dharam was the only way to stop an affair with his wife and he killed him in a violent manner and disposed of the body in a ditch.”

He added: “After investigating the death we felt that the only verdict should be murder and are pleased that the court has examined all the evidence and returned that verdict.

“Our thoughts today are with Dharam’s family who we hope can find some closure and continue with their lives.”