A pub chef who killed an artist while walking with her dog near a beach was imprisoned today for at least 25 years.
Harrison Lawrence Van-Poss, 21, used a knife to force 54-year-old Claire Knights from a path while she walked back to her car from the beach before she sexually abused and killed her.
He then hid her body 'with the face down in a dike' and started buying her white and brown Spaniel Zebulon treats while she was dying.
Two days later on August 23, 2023, the mother-of-one was missing before he was found by her family between St. Nicholas in Wade and Minnis Bay on 25 August, who carried out searches.
Van Poss, who had never met his victim, had her dog with her when he was arrested.
A day before the murder he was fired from his work in a restaurant in the village by the sea after he had become entangled. For that violation, he got a month in prison to walk at the same time.
Before his conviction to Canterbury Crown Court, Van-Poososs said in a statement read by his lawyer: “I will never forgive myself.”
Pub-Chef Harrison Lawrence Van-Poss, 21, admitted last year to kill Claire Knights
Claire Knights, 54, (photo) was found dead after he was on a dog walk from St. Nicholas in Wade to Minnis Bay on August 23
Van Poeross took Spaniel from Mrs. Knights, Zebulon, to buy treats after she killed her
Van Poss, from Margate, initially denied murder, but eventually admitted to the indictment after numerous psychiatric and psychological assessments.
At the time, he appeared via a video link from the Psychiatric Hospital of the High-Security Broadmoor in Berkshire and spoke to confirm his name and date of birth and enter his culprit plea.
Alison Morgan KC said that Van-Poososs has been manipulating procedures for months'.
Mrs. Morgan added that he had previously not claimed any memory of events, then gave a 'ridiculous' account to a medical expert only a week before his trial would start, claiming that he would become 'angry' by Mrs Knights who made 'unwanted' sexual progress against him.
The disappearance of Mrs. Knights last summer led to a widespread search from the police, the Coastguard and knows search and rescue and lifeboat crews, as well as family, friends and the local community.
Mrs. Knights is supposed to have been walked from St. Nicholas in Wade in Kent to Minnis Bay
The mother of one was missing on August 23 before her body was found two days later
Van Poss himself had been the subject of a profession of a Kent Police 'entitlement' on the evening of August 22.
Earlier that day he was released in the Powell Bar and the restaurant in Birchington after he was caught on CCTV on CCTV to film his phone to film a woman's skirt.
In a tribute after her death, Mrs. Knights was described as a 'pioneer in life'.
The performance of the sculptor includes teaching art in two prisons in the early nineties and graduating from the Margate school with a masters last year, where she was praised as 'excellent and exceptional'.
Natalie Smith, from the Crown Prosecution Service South East, said: 'None of us can imagine the fear that Claire suffered when she was attacked, knowing that she was alone on an isolated path and overwhelmed by a strong and determined man.
