HE HAS been locked up “for life” as a young father and, should he ever be freed, will come out an old man.

Matthew Hamlen was today waking up behind bars, knowing he will remain there for at least 30 years for the murder of a defenceless Hampshire grandmother.

In what was a momentous day in judicial history in the county, the 37-year-old was sent to prison for “life” having been forced to stand trial for a second time for the killing of pensioner Georgina Edmonds.

Following a change in the double jeopardy law, the married dad-of-one from Eastleigh who was acquitted of the crime four years ago, was finally brought to justice after the discovery of “compelling” new evidence – a 26-million-to-one DNA match.

Yesterday at Winchester Crown Court, he remained motionless and expressionless in the dock as he was told his fate by judge, Mr Justice Saunders who told him his actions had been “brutal” and “violent” and provoked by a motive to steal.

Describing the events of January 11, 2008, he told the court: “It was a murder which shocked the community in which Georgina Edmonds lived. She was battered to death with a marble rolling pin in her own home by a complete stranger.

“I have no doubt that when he inflicted those blows, Matthew Hamlen intended to kill.”

The court was told how the murder was “committed for gain” with Mrs Edmonds’ handbag stolen along with her cash card, having been tortured for her PIN.

Whether she refused or deliberately gave him the wrong number to access her bank accounts would never be known, he added.

Sat in the well of the court so they could see the man who killed their mother as he learned his punishment, was Mrs Edmonds’ children Harry and Doddie and her grandson Harry junior.

The impact on them, the court heard, would remain for life.

As reported, following the unanimous guilty verdict returned by jurors after just three hours, Mr Edmonds had told of his regret that the death penalty was not an option to judges in British courts.

He had described the events of the past eight years since he found his mother dead in a pool of blood in the kitchen of her Brambridge cottage as like a plot from an Agatha Christie novel – but said tragically this was in fact very real.

Throughout yesterday’s hearing, Hamlen’s family sat in one corner of the packed public gallery. Among his relatives was his mother Linda Manning who was visibly upset.

Ordering Hamlen be taken down to the cells, the judge concluded: “Georgina Edmonds had done nothing to hurt Matthew Hamlen, nothing to provoke such a violent attack.

“This verdict, I hope, will bring some degree of closure for Mrs Edmonds family who have waited a long time to know who for sure killed their much loved relative. The consequences of this pointless loss of life have been and will be substantial for a number of people.

“For those who may think that the minimum term I am going to impose is too short, it should be remembered that Matthew Hamlen will qualify as an old age pensioner by the time he is eligible for release.”