This is chilling footage shows 'suitcase killer' Craig Procter taking his victim's body into a secluded woodland.

Procter, 40, killed mum-of-one Ellia Arathoon after a row over a discarded cigarette before shoving her body in a suitcase, setting it alight, and dumping it at 4am.

A couple of days later, fearing the body was too visible, he moved her charred remains to an embankment and covered them with twigs and a piece of carpet.

Procter has been sentenced to life in prison after admitting hitting the 29-year-old over the head, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Procter, who claimed to be under “heavy influence” of cocaine at the time, confessed his crime to an ex-girlfriend – who reported him to the police after realising his claims were not a drug-fueled fantasy.

But he later tried to pin the blame on his lodger and a mystery man he claimed had attacked Ellia.

Craig Procter was caught on CCTV dumping his victim's body in a suitcase
He stored the body in the woodlands following the attack on Ellia Arathoon
Ellia Arathoon was killed after a row over a cigarette

Procter, of Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, was due to stand trial for murder but changed his plea to guilty just hours before his trial was due to begin.

DS Steve Currie of Cheshire Police said: “We know Procter attacked Ellia with a heavy glass causing her to fall unconscious.

“Evidence indicates sexual contact, which the defendant eventually admitted. The prosecution maintain that the sexual contact was non-consensual.

“We also know that he then put her body in a suitcase and wheeled it through the streets to a makeshift grave, setting the suitcase on fire with her inside – but tragically we may never know why Procter meted out such acts on such a vulnerable young woman.

“Procter originally tried to hide his guilt by covering his tracks and blaming others, but thanks to our dedicated team of specialists and experts at Cheshire Police and at the CPS, we were able to get to the truth and get justice for Ellia’s family.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to highlight that the Ellesmere Port community also had a huge part to play in helping us close the net on Procter."

Procter was sentenced to life in prison

Jailing him for life with a minimum term of 21 years, the Recorder of Liverpool, Judge Clement Goldstone QC, told Procter he was “highly dangerous”.

He said his actions had left Ellia’s son Reece, now nine, in a “total state of confusion and incomprehension”.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Ellia had fallen into drug use in recent years and Procter was part of a group of friends and associates who shared her interest.

Before her death Ellia had been sofa surfing and was staying at Procter’s home, but was asked to leave because she had left out a burning cigarette butt.

She was last seen by friends leaving a party with Procter, who was heard making a “dig he wanted everyone to hear” about money he had spent on drugs for her.

Richard Pratt QC, prosecuting, said: “She later said she was “sick of this life” and had no money for drugs.

“After a night spent drinking and taking hard drugs, Procter and Ellia left the house together. None of her friends at the party saw her again.”