Dramatic video of a builder being arrested for the double-murder of his wife and stepson has been released by Essex Police.
The body worn footage shows officers approaching and detaining Calogero Ricotta, 64, with his hands still covered in blood.
Ricotta is now beginning a minimum 34 years behind bars for the fatal stabbings near Bishop’s Stortford last May.
Chelmsford Crown Court was told that Ricotta's wife Maria had been planning to divorce her husband in the run up to the murders.
Dramatic video of a builder being arrested for the double-murder of his wife and stepson has been released by Essex Police
Essex Police
The trial judge said he “used controlling and coercive behaviour” as he sought to dominate his 54-year-old wife.
Mrs Justice Stacey said Ricotta’s “vanity, pride and ego meant he would not agree to a divorce” and instead said that he “tried to intimidate Maria into staying in a loveless marriage”.
Jurors found Ricotta guilty of murdering his wife and her son, 29-year-old Giuseppe Morreale.
The pair were killed at the family home in the village of Ugley in Essex, near Bishop’s Stortford, on May 28 last year.
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Calogero Ricotta is now beginning a minimum 34 years behind bars for the fatal stabbings near Bishop’s Stortford last May
Essex Police
Ricotta, originally from Sicily in Italy, had denied the charges.
In her sentencing remarks, the judge said: “Joe’s courage standing up to you is in stark contrast to the cowardly way you killed both of them.”
Ricotta was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 34 years before he can be considered for release.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Lydia George said that Ricotta was “calculating, controlling and violent”.
She said the defendant had told his wife: “Dead or alive, you will never leave this marriage.“
"Joe intervened to try and protect his mother to the end, however, he received horrific injuries that ultimately took his life,” the detective inspector said.
She added: “Ricotta then refused to admit to his crimes, subjecting all their loved ones to months of stress and turmoil.
"His claims of self-defence were completely dismantled by the evidence our officers compiled for this case.
“He now faces spending the rest of his life in prison.”
She continued: “Maria had confided in those she trusted that Ricotta scared her, that she felt she was in danger.
Jurors found Ricotta guilty of murdering his wife, Maria, and her son, 29-year-old Giuseppe Morreale
Essex Police
"She was taking steps to catalogue his escalating behaviour and to remove him from her life.
“Ricotta’s violence that day was evident, but our investigation proved beyond doubt that his hatred of Maria for trying to leave him was the motivation.
”A family statement released through police described the victims as “kind and pure-hearted people.
They said that Maria Nugara was the “most beautiful person inside and out”, adding: “She was kind, caring and clever with a cracking sense of humour.”
And they said of Mr Morreale: “The last thing he did was try and save his mum; he is the bravest person we have ever known – he was our hero.”
