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Triple killer Theodore Johnson jailed for 26 years | Triple killer Theodore Johnson jailed for 26 years |
(35 minutes later) | |
A man who killed three former partners has been jailed for a minimum of 26 years. | A man who killed three former partners has been jailed for a minimum of 26 years. |
Theodore Johnson, 64, beat and throttled ex-girlfriend Angela Best after she met another man. | Theodore Johnson, 64, beat and throttled ex-girlfriend Angela Best after she met another man. |
He already had two manslaughter convictions. He pushed his wife off a ninth-floor balcony in 1981 and strangled a former partner in 1993. | He already had two manslaughter convictions. He pushed his wife off a ninth-floor balcony in 1981 and strangled a former partner in 1993. |
Johnson met Ms Best while on unescorted leave from a secure mental hospital. | Johnson met Ms Best while on unescorted leave from a secure mental hospital. |
He beat her with a claw hammer and strangled her with her dressing gown cord at his north London home on 15 December 2016. | He beat her with a claw hammer and strangled her with her dressing gown cord at his north London home on 15 December 2016. |
Their relationship had recently ended after she met someone else. | Their relationship had recently ended after she met someone else. |
Sentencing, Judge Richard Marks QC said: "The attack by you on Angela Best was sustained, vicious and utterly brutal. She suffered an unimaginably terrible death." | Sentencing, Judge Richard Marks QC said: "The attack by you on Angela Best was sustained, vicious and utterly brutal. She suffered an unimaginably terrible death." |
"Such repeated offending, resulting in three separate court cases, must be almost unprecedented," he added. | "Such repeated offending, resulting in three separate court cases, must be almost unprecedented," he added. |
Hours after attacking Ms Best, 51, the garage worker threw himself in front of an express train. | Hours after attacking Ms Best, 51, the garage worker threw himself in front of an express train. |
He survived but lost his right arm and left hand. | He survived but lost his right arm and left hand. |
Police only discovered Ms Best's body when they called at Johnson's flat in Islington to find his next of kin after the incident at Cheshunt railway station, in Hertfordshire. | Police only discovered Ms Best's body when they called at Johnson's flat in Islington to find his next of kin after the incident at Cheshunt railway station, in Hertfordshire. |
In mitigation for Johnson, Annette Henry QC said: "He does not wish to be alive. He hates himself for what happened." | In mitigation for Johnson, Annette Henry QC said: "He does not wish to be alive. He hates himself for what happened." |
The killer, who now uses a wheelchair, pleaded guilty to murdering the mother-of-four and grandmother on the first day of his trial on Tuesday. | The killer, who now uses a wheelchair, pleaded guilty to murdering the mother-of-four and grandmother on the first day of his trial on Tuesday. |
Did the authorities know about Johnson and Best's relationship? | Did the authorities know about Johnson and Best's relationship? |
Johnson had a personality disorder and depression, and was sent to a secure mental hospital after his second conviction. | Johnson had a personality disorder and depression, and was sent to a secure mental hospital after his second conviction. |
Johnson successfully applied for a conditional discharge from the hospital in October 1997. | Johnson successfully applied for a conditional discharge from the hospital in October 1997. |
He was released on the condition he would tell doctors and social workers about any new relationships with women. | He was released on the condition he would tell doctors and social workers about any new relationships with women. |
However, he kept his relationship with Ms Best a secret. | However, he kept his relationship with Ms Best a secret. |
Records from his supervisors show four occasions in the 10 years before the murder when Johnson denied having any relationships with women since leaving hospital in 1997, the court heard. | Records from his supervisors show four occasions in the 10 years before the murder when Johnson denied having any relationships with women since leaving hospital in 1997, the court heard. |
What were Johnson's first two convictions? | What were Johnson's first two convictions? |
In 1981, Johnson was jailed for three years after killing his wife, Yvonne Johnson. | In 1981, Johnson was jailed for three years after killing his wife, Yvonne Johnson. |
He hit her over the head with a vase during a row before pushing her off the balcony of their home in a Wolverhampton tower block. | He hit her over the head with a vase during a row before pushing her off the balcony of their home in a Wolverhampton tower block. |
The argument started when Mrs Johnson would not let her husband go to church because he was "not dressed well enough", it was reported at the time. | The argument started when Mrs Johnson would not let her husband go to church because he was "not dressed well enough", it was reported at the time. |
He was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter by provocation. | He was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter by provocation. |
The judge described Johnson as a "battered husband" who had suffered violence at the hands of his wife. | The judge described Johnson as a "battered husband" who had suffered violence at the hands of his wife. |
In 1993, he pleaded guilty to manslaughter, on the grounds of diminished responsibility, after attacking former partner Yvonne Bennett. | In 1993, he pleaded guilty to manslaughter, on the grounds of diminished responsibility, after attacking former partner Yvonne Bennett. |
He had met her in Wolverhampton after his release from prison for killing Mrs Johnson. | He had met her in Wolverhampton after his release from prison for killing Mrs Johnson. |
They moved to north London and had a daughter together, but separated after Ms Bennett had an affair. | They moved to north London and had a daughter together, but separated after Ms Bennett had an affair. |
She had sought police help to get him to leave their Finsbury Park home in the days before her death. | She had sought police help to get him to leave their Finsbury Park home in the days before her death. |
He strangled her with a belt as their two-year-old daughter slept. | He strangled her with a belt as their two-year-old daughter slept. |
Johnson phoned police to confess, tried to hang himself from a tree and then gave himself up, prosecutors said at the time. | Johnson phoned police to confess, tried to hang himself from a tree and then gave himself up, prosecutors said at the time. |
He was sent to a secure hospital indefinitely but released four years later. | He was sent to a secure hospital indefinitely but released four years later. |
What did the victim's family say? | What did the victim's family say? |
Ms Best's sister, Lorraine Jones, said her heart went out to the other families who have suffered from Johnson's "evil and calculated" actions. | Ms Best's sister, Lorraine Jones, said her heart went out to the other families who have suffered from Johnson's "evil and calculated" actions. |
She added that Ms Best "doted" on her four children and grandchildren, loved them "dearly" and was the "heartbeat of our family". | She added that Ms Best "doted" on her four children and grandchildren, loved them "dearly" and was the "heartbeat of our family". |
Ms Best's son, Raphael Best, said the death of his "kind" mother was "slowly driving me crazy". | Ms Best's son, Raphael Best, said the death of his "kind" mother was "slowly driving me crazy". |
On the morning she was murdered Ms Best had gone to Johnson's home to help him prepare for an appointment with the Jamaican embassy. | On the morning she was murdered Ms Best had gone to Johnson's home to help him prepare for an appointment with the Jamaican embassy. |
In his victim impact statement, he added: "My mother was the type of person who was always going out of her way to help people and unfortunately that was the reason she met her demise." | In his victim impact statement, he added: "My mother was the type of person who was always going out of her way to help people and unfortunately that was the reason she met her demise." |
What has the reaction been to Johnson's third conviction? | What has the reaction been to Johnson's third conviction? |
A former healthcare assistant of Johnson, Sandra Davis, said he should never have been discharged from hospital. | |
Campaigner Julian Hendy, of Hundred Families, said there were "serious questions" to be answered about why Johnson was able to kill for a third time. | Campaigner Julian Hendy, of Hundred Families, said there were "serious questions" to be answered about why Johnson was able to kill for a third time. |
Dr Jane Monckton-Smith, a forensic criminologist, told BBC's Woman's Hour: "There are many others out there who have killed more than one partner. It's not as unusual as we would hope." | Dr Jane Monckton-Smith, a forensic criminologist, told BBC's Woman's Hour: "There are many others out there who have killed more than one partner. It's not as unusual as we would hope." |
"When we start to take domestic abuse seriously, then we will start reducing homicides," she added. | "When we start to take domestic abuse seriously, then we will start reducing homicides," she added. |