A 53-year-old man has been jailed for at least 20 years for murder and attempted murder in 1990.

Jersey Police says Rickie Michael Tregaskis committed what can only be described as an unprovoked, vicious, and cowardly act against two women in what should have been the safety of their home in the middle of the night.

Tregaskis, who is now 53, viciously stabbed 85-year-old Emma Anton while she was in bed in Le Geyt flats in 1990 - and her niece Barbara Griffin, who was 59, was murdered as she came to her aunt's aid.

He was found not guilty after a trial in 1991, but he was charged again in 2012 after a cold case review.

The original outcome was quashed, but a jury found him guilty in May 2022 following a landmark retrial at the Royal Court.

It was the first case in Jersey where a person's acquittal has been quashed and they were re-tried.

Jersey Police has paid tribute to the 'courage and moral fortitude of people who testified during the trial' to make sure Tregaskis 'finally faced justice for his heinous actions.'

"Over the years that this investigation took place, Barbara and Emma’s families have demonstrated patience, understanding and support to the police for which I’m extremely grateful, and I’m pleased that today’s sentence may help to begin their own healing process. 

I’d like to personally express my sincere gratitude to the witnesses who testified recently, for their courage in supporting the investigation and for facing the ordeal of giving evidence in court, and to the invaluable input and support of my colleague Clyde Till who has worked alongside me throughout the entirety of this re-investigation, and without whom this outcome may very well have been different.

I also want to express recognition and gratitude to the original investigation team in 1990 who worked so hard to try and get justice for Barbara and Emma, and whose efforts provided a solid platform on which this re-investigation could build and develop, some of those officers sadly no longer being with us to see this conclusion." - Lee Turner, Senior Investigating Officer.