A “sadistic” construction worker who murdered a prostitute with a Stanley knife before stealing her car has been jailed.

Nicolae Patraucean, a Romanian national living in Stanmore, pleaded guilty to murdering Rivka Holden at her home in Falcon Way, Colindale, before dismembering her body on Sunday, March 16.

Patraucean, 21, was jailed for life with a minimum of 25 years at the Old Bailey today.

Patraucean stole his 55-year-old victim's red Hyundai i20 and drove it away from the scene, before abandoning it in the Kingsbury area – but the robbery was not believed to be a motive for the murder.

In July, the court was told that Patraucean had been drinking heavily in the 24 hours before the killing and had also taken cannabis, cocaine and heroin.

Prosecutor Timothy Cray also described the attack as “sadistic” and Patraucean claims to have no memory of the incident.

Detective Inspector Simon Ashwin, of the Homicide & Major Crime Command, said: "I hope this sentence gives Ms Holden's family some solace in knowing that her killer has been brought to justice and will spend many years in prison."