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 later 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 after being unanimously convicted by the jury of seven women and five men following about seven hours of deliberation.