Man who choked mum-of-two to death during sex jailed for less than 5 years

A man who choked a mum-of-two to death during sex has been jailed for four years and eight months.

Sam Pybus, 31, choked Sophie Moss, 35, to death as the pair had sex at her home in Darlington, UK, in the early hours of Sunday, February 7, this year.

Sophie Moss was found unresponsive by police and was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Pybus – who was married to someone else at the time – had gone to Darlington Police Station to alert officers to Sophie’s death, stating that he believed he had fatally strangled her after being invited to her home in the early hours of that morning.

Pybus had drunk 24 bottles of Amstel lager over 10 hours.

The pair had been in a sexual relationship and would see each other for sex around six times a year.

Pybus admitted killing her, but denied murder, instead claiming that he did not mean to cause her any harm or serious injury.

He pleaded guilty to manslaughter, which was accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Pybus, who has no previous convictions, said he had no recollection of the sexual activity during which he killed Sophie. He claimed he “came to” when Sophie became unresponsive, the court heard.

Pybus remembers coming to wearing his boxer shorts and described his hands as hurting so he “must have strangled her although he did not remember doing so.”

The court heard that he left the flat and “spent about 15 minutes in his car considering his options during which time he had not sought to render first aid to Sophie nor had he sought any emergency medical assistance for her” before he drove to Darlington Police Station and told officers he thought he had strangled her.

After Pybus was sentenced to 4 years and 8 months in prison, Detective Chief Inspector Andy Reynolds, who led the investigation, commented on the sentencing and said: “This was a difficult and complex investigation, and our thoughts remain with Sophie’s family and friends at this difficult time.

“Although nothing can ever bring Sophie back, I hope today’s result will offer them some comfort and help them to come to terms with their devastating loss.”