A boxer who killed a mum-of-two during a botched burglary had been released two months early from a previous detention order.

Lloyd Edwards, jailed for life today for the murder of Laila Rezk, had been given an 18-month detention order for burglary. He was not due to be set free from the order until the day after Mrs Rezk was killed but had been released early.

Edwards, 19, from Langmoor Point, Norley Vale, Roehampton, was told by Judge David Calbert-Smith at Kingston Crown Court he would serve at least 18 years for the 53-year-old's murder.

The court heard how Edwards, a prolific criminal who committed his first burglary aged 12, had been wearing a tag and was supposed to be under curfew when he killed Mrs Rezk at her Kingston Vale home.

He went on to burgle another home just three weeks after the attack on November 29 last year.

Edwards admitted hitting Mrs Rezk in an effort to keep her quiet, but told the court he had not meant to kill her.

A postmortem examination showed Mrs Rezk was hit so hard she suffered brain damage, and may have been hit as many as seven times.

The court heard how Edwards had been drinking at his mum's home when he went out to look for a house to burgle on November 29 last year.

He saw Mrs Rezk's house door open and went in.

Forensic evidence suggested Mrs Rezk had been attacked in the small bathroom of the house and then dragged through the hall.

Edwards then continued touring the house looking for things to steal.

He picked up Mrs Rezk's bag and emptied it taking £60 cash. He then heard a noise and went to the front window to investigate.

Pulling aside the net curtain, he realised he couldn't see anyone but had left a bloody finger mark. So he pulled down the net curtains and put them down his trousers.

He then left the house putting the curtains in the recycling bins near Asda on his way home.

Mrs Rezk was found lying dying in the hallway of the house by her daughter Dina and son Tamer.

She never regained consciousness and died the next day.

In a witness statement, read out in court by prosecutor Richard Whittam, Dina described finding her mother.

She said: "I started screaming and became hysterical. I couldn't recognise her face, only her body. Her face was blown up and her hair was damp with blood. There was blood everywhere."

Handing down the sentence Judge David Calbert-Smith said: "You could have left the house but you kept on hitting her well after you had disabled her."

Mrs Rezk's family were in court to hear the verdict.

Daughter Dina sat with tears in her eyes as the court heard her statement detailing the effect the murder had on her.

Edwards, who had been described by his own defence as a dangerous young man, sat dispassionately as the sentence was read out.