FAMILY GP Harold Shipman, Britain's most prolific serial killer, was jailed this week for the rest of his life for the murder of 15 of his patients.

The full extent of his killing spree may never be known, but detectives have prepared files on another 23 deaths and there were fears that the final count could be more than 100.

Shipman, 54, gave fatal morphine injections from a stolen hoard meant for dying cancer patients to women aged between 49 and 81 who went to him for help when he worked at his practice in Hyde, Greater Manchester.

After the guilty verdicts on Monday, Shipman, pictured, was sentenced and told that in his case life would mean life.

Sixteen times the word echoed around Preston Crown Court where the increasingly gaunt looking Shipman had spent 57 days on trial.

As the jury foreman delivered the first "guilty" - that he murdered 81-year-old widow Kathleen Grundy - Harold Frederick Shipman barely flinched. He fixed his gaze on the wall above the head of the judge Mr Justice Forbes as guilty verdict followed guilty verdict, ensuring that Shipman dies behind bars for what the judge called "wicked, wicked crimes".

The judge told the GP: "You murdered each and every one of your victims by a calculated and cold-blooded perversion of your medical skills.

"For your own evil and wicked purpose you took advantage of and grossly abused the trust your victims put in you. You were, after all, each victim's doctor.

"I have little doubt each of your victims smiled and thanked you as she submitted to your fearful administrations.

"None of your victims realised that yours was not a healing touch. None of them knew that in truth you had brought them death; death which was diagnosed as their care."

Mr Justice Forbes was clearly moved as he spoke to the relatives of Shipman's victims and even removed his wig before telling them of his admiration for their courage and dignity.

The doctor's wife Primrose, 52, sat on the other side of the public gallery, with three of the couple's four children, Christopher, 28, David 20, and Sarah, 32. Their other son Sam, 17, did not attend.

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