A HUSBAND has been jailed for at least 19 years for the brutal murder of his wife.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that callous Alan Humphrey, 56, punched, kicked, throttled and stamped on his wife and then left.

It was five days before Angela Humphrey's body was found by her devastated family.

But the day after the horrific killing, Humphrey was out drinking and boasting of the killing.

Judge Lady Rae sentenced Humphrey to life imprisonment and ordered him to serve at least 19 years before being eligible for parole.

She told him: "This was truly a very brutal and violent attack on a defenceless woman.

"After you battered her mercilessly you abandoned her.

"You are a violent man and what is concerning is you have shown no remorse for what you did."

Advocate depute Sheena Fraser, prosecuting, revealed that Humphrey has previous convictions for violence, including two High Court convictions and one at Crown Court in England.

Throughout his trial Humphrey denied murdering his wife, but the jury took just over an hour to find him guilty.

The court heard that Humphrey boasted to two regulars in the Black Bull pub in Glasgow's Gallowgate that he had killed his wife.

He told 71-year-old George Bothwell and his wife Joyce: "I think I've killed her."

His remark came after they asked where Mrs Humphrey was and suggested she should join them for a drink.

The murderous attack on Mrs Humphrey, 49, took place on February 21 at Quarrywood Avenue, Glasgow.

Her body was found in her home five days later after her family became concerned about not being able to contact her and broke into the flat. The cause of death was head and neck injuries.

Mrs Humphrey's daughters Jacqueline, 26, and Amanda, 28, became increasingly concerned when their mother did not answer her phone and the curtains were drawn.

Fourteen years ago at the High Court in Glasgow Humphrey stood trial for murdering police janitor Michael McManus, but the jury returned a not proven verdict.