A 76-page special edition including a 12-page pull-out marked the end of a three-week murder trial for one regional daily, which pulled out all the stops to provide a comprehensive guide to the harrowing case.

The South Wales Argus staffed the trial of murderer Carl Mills every day with two reporters – one to post updates to Twitter and the paper’s linked live trial blog, while the other filed two stories a day – and a photographer to take snatch pictures of every witness who gave evidence.

Mills was convicted of setting fire to a house in Wales and killing three generations of the same family, and the Argus – which dedicated a full 17 pages of Friday’s edition in total to the conclusion of the trial – called for him to never be released.

Editor Kevin Ward told HTFP the background supplement was pulled together as the case went on, with final tweaks made once the verdict was in – and said the paper was the only media outlet to pay the case any real attention.

“There has been huge interest in the case since the three generations of the Buckley family were killed last September,” he said.

“I’m of the firm belief that it’s our duty as the leading local media to provide readers with comprehensive coverage of such an important event.

“It’s interesting that other Welsh media paid lip service to the trial while the national media effectively ignored it.”

The front page of the paper was taken up with a mug shot of Mills, along with the eye-catching headline: “Let him rot.”

This sentiment was reflected in the Argus comment piece too, which labelled him a “sorry excuse for a human being”.

“Cowardly. Despicable. Evil. All are accurate words with which to describe Mills,” it states.

“There is no place in our society for people like Carl Mills. He should rot in jail for the rest of his miserable life.”

The front page of the 12-page background supplement