THE millionaire who strangled his wife, put her in the boot of his car and drove to France has been sentenced to 16 years in prison after being found guilty of murder this morning.

Loudwater businessman Derek Symmons, 63, had denied murder, claiming his wife's death had been an accident after a violent struggle between the pair.

The killing in September 2005 came after his hairdresser wife of 38 years discovered he had been having an affair.

When the jury's verdict was returned today at St Albans Crown Court, Symmons' barrister Nadine Radford QC said: "He realises that his children and grandchild and future grandchildren are lost to him.

"He has now lost everything.

"It's likely that he will either die in custody or he will be released and die shortly after that."

The father of two killed his wife at their six bedroomed detached house in Lower Plantation on September 5 2005 after they had returned from a marriage guidance counselling session.