Swimwear Model Gets 15 Years For Shooting Ex

A Slovakian swimwear model who shot her British millionaire ex-boyfriend in his Spanish home has been jailed for more than 15 years.

Mayka Kukucova said in court that she had "never meant to hurt" Andrew Bush during a struggle and cried when photos of his body were shown. However she was convicted of murder two years after the killing.

Prosecutors had hoped the 26-year-old would face 25 years in prison, but she was sentenced to 15 and a half years instead - 15 years for the murder and six months for breaking into Mr Bush's Marbella home.

Mr Bush, 48, a former jewellery dealer from Bristol, who was married to BBC TV presenter Sam Mason, met Kukucova when she worked in his shop.

They were together for two and a half years but split six months before the murder and Mr Bush, nicknamed "the King of Bling", was in a new relationship with a 20-year-old Russian university student.

 The court heard how Kukucova had waited for Mr Bush at his Costa del Sol home and shot him twice in the head before fleeing in his Hummer to her native Slovakia. She handed herself in to authorities there and was extradited to Spain.

Kukucova claimed she had been acting in self defence but she was convicted on Saturday.

Mr Bush's 21-year-old daughter Ellie Mason-Bush welcomed the decision, saying she had finally "got justice" for him.

Her mother, Ms Mason wrote on Twitter: "20 years for the murderous cow. I hope she rots. At no stage has she apologised to my girl. Blaming Andy, low life scum."

Before the verdict she posted a picture of herself with her ex-husband and their daughter just after she was born, which said: "How can any 1 ruin this?"

Mr Bush's girlfriend, Maria Korotaeva, posted a report of Kukucova's conviction on her Instagram page with the caption "Thank God".