Mrs Monteith told how killer Keogh had been one of the first to offer his support and condolences following the murder. She added: “To find out Keogh was responsible for Kevin's murder was awful for all of us and to realise he could carry out this horrific attack leaving him alone to die, then knowing our sons Robert and David would come along and find him.

“Keogh was aware I was out of the country and not able to get to my children at the time they needed me.”

She told how it “added insult to injury” that Keogh had also attended her husband's funeral.

During the trial Keogh told the court how he had developed feelings for Mrs Monteith in June 2007. He had confessed how he felt to her, but she had not responded.

But over the following month he got hold of her mobile number and the pair had begun to text each other.

Over the next few months they had up to five secret meetings and he described how in October or November 2007 he had expressed his love for her by text message. The pair had led met in St Helens and had kissed in a taxi home, the court was told.

Keogh was ordered to serve a minimum of 15 years.

Unanswered questions will stay with victim’s family

THE family of murdered Kevin Monteith will have to live with unanswered questions, a senior police officer has said.

Det Chief Insp Karen Cummings, who was the senior detective during the investigation, told how Stephen Keogh’s denials left Mr Monteith’s relatives with gaps. She said: “While the evidence clearly implicated Mr Keogh, there are still gaps and unanswered questions that unfortunately the family will never be able to fill.”

DCI Cummings added: “We hope that the verdict assists the family in some way to obtain closure and move forward with their lives.

“Kevin Monteith was an ordinary, everyday, father and husband and the nature of his death touched all, including those investigating the case and living within the community. This was a tragic set of circumstances.”