 He claimed that Longhurst had died accidentally during consensual erotic asphyxiation, although the prosecution maintained that there was nothing to suggest that the two had ever been lovers.Coutts was convicted of murder on 3 February 2004, and sentenced to a life term serving a minimum of 30 years (reduced to 26 years on appeal on 26 January 2005).The conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal on 19 July 2006, and a new trial started on 12 June 2007.