Man convicted of murdering ex-partner after confessing to undercover officer who befriended him

The man who was convicted of murdering his ex-partner confessed to an undercover officer who befriended him.

Darren Osment, 41, admitted to killing Claire Holland, 32, after a drunken argument in Bristol over a decade ago in 2012.

The pub chef has been convicted of murdering his ex-partner after blaming Claire for their child being taken into care, the Crown Prosecution Service have said.

The mum-of-four, from Lawrence Weston, was last seen alive on the evening of Wednesday 6 June 2012 when she left the Seamus O’Donnell’s pub in St Nicholas Street, Bristol.

"Following an 11-week trial, Darren Osment, from Patchway, has been found guilty by a majority verdict of murdering his former partner, after a jury heard he made multiple confessions, including to an undercover police officer. Claire’s body has never been found," Avon and Somerset Police said.

Her murder was suspected to have taken place on a date between 5 June and 8 June 2012.

Avon and Somerset Police

During the trial, the court heard that the undercover officer had witnessed many examples of Osment’s violent temper, particularly when drinking.

“That is relevant because we suggest that when he met with Claire Holland that night, he is likely to have lost his temper, lost control of himself and in using unrestrained violence he killed her." prosecutor Andrew Langdon KC said:

“In other words, he is a man with an explosive temper with a propensity to use violence when angry, including to those who are weaker and more vulnerable than he.”

Although there was no crime scene or forensic evidence linking Osment to the murder, police were able to obtain evidence of several confessions he had made over the years.

Recordings show the defendant claiming to have strangled Claire, dismembering her body and throwing her remains in the River Avon.

Avon and Somerset Police

The jury also heard evidence that Osment had confessed to six different people, including a former girlfriend, her brother, friends, a 999 call handler, Mr O’Hara and finally a prison inmate.

Osment and Claire, who were both alcoholics, met in 2008 when they worked together in a cafe and began a relationship, with their child being born in 2010.

Police began re-investigating in 2019 after Osment, who by this time was living in Devon, dialled 999 and admitted to killing Claire.

The following year, the undercover operation began and the officer, who was assigned to interact with Osment, would spend many hours with Osment playing pool or snooker, going for walks or engaging in supposed criminality.

Osment is due to be sentenced on 20 December at Bristol Crown Court.