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| Ashley Wadsworth: Man jailed for 'brutal' Canadian girlfriend murder | Ashley Wadsworth: Man jailed for 'brutal' Canadian girlfriend murder |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Ashley Wadsworth died from stab wounds to the chest | Ashley Wadsworth died from stab wounds to the chest |
| A man who inflicted 90 wounds on his Canadian girlfriend has been jailed for life for her murder. | A man who inflicted 90 wounds on his Canadian girlfriend has been jailed for life for her murder. |
| Jack Sepple, 23, killed 19-year-old Ashley Wadsworth in a "brutal" attack at a flat they shared in Tennyson Road, Chelmsford, Essex, on 1 February. | Jack Sepple, 23, killed 19-year-old Ashley Wadsworth in a "brutal" attack at a flat they shared in Tennyson Road, Chelmsford, Essex, on 1 February. |
| Ms Wadsworth, from Vernon in British Columbia, first met Sepple online aged 12 before moving to the UK last year. | Ms Wadsworth, from Vernon in British Columbia, first met Sepple online aged 12 before moving to the UK last year. |
| Sepple was jailed for a minimum of 23 years and six months at Chelmsford Crown Court. | Sepple was jailed for a minimum of 23 years and six months at Chelmsford Crown Court. |
| Simon Spence KC, prosecuting, said Sepple murdered Ms Wadsworth after being "angered by her decision to return prematurely to her home country of Canada". | Simon Spence KC, prosecuting, said Sepple murdered Ms Wadsworth after being "angered by her decision to return prematurely to her home country of Canada". |
| "He strangled and repeatedly stabbed Ashley and left her in the bed that they shared while he went about his daily business," he said. | "He strangled and repeatedly stabbed Ashley and left her in the bed that they shared while he went about his daily business," he said. |
| A post-mortem examination showed she died from stab wounds to the chest. | A post-mortem examination showed she died from stab wounds to the chest. |
| When police forced entry to the property at 16:13 GMT they found Sepple on a FaceTime call to his sister "as he showed her the body", Mr Spence said. | When police forced entry to the property at 16:13 GMT they found Sepple on a FaceTime call to his sister "as he showed her the body", Mr Spence said. |
| Jack Sepple was jailed for life with a minimum term of 23 years and six months at Chelmsford Crown Court | Jack Sepple was jailed for life with a minimum term of 23 years and six months at Chelmsford Crown Court |
| When asked what he had done by police, Sepple replied: "I went psychotic, I'm sorry," adding: "I strangled her and stabbed her." He told officers this was "two to three hours ago". | When asked what he had done by police, Sepple replied: "I went psychotic, I'm sorry," adding: "I strangled her and stabbed her." He told officers this was "two to three hours ago". |
| The judge, the Honourable Mr Justice Murray, said he committed a "brutal and cowardly attack" and "gratuitously inflicted some 90 wounds on her body". | The judge, the Honourable Mr Justice Murray, said he committed a "brutal and cowardly attack" and "gratuitously inflicted some 90 wounds on her body". |
| He said the killing happened because Sepple faced "imminent loss of control over her". | He said the killing happened because Sepple faced "imminent loss of control over her". |
| Her injuries included defensive wounds to her wrists, but the rest were all to the chest area. | Her injuries included defensive wounds to her wrists, but the rest were all to the chest area. |
| 'Never-ending pain' | 'Never-ending pain' |
| Ms Wadsworth's mother, Christy Gendron, said in her victim impact statement that she "wasn't too happy" about her daughter travelling to meet Sepple, "but she was an adult so I couldn't stop her". | Ms Wadsworth's mother, Christy Gendron, said in her victim impact statement that she "wasn't too happy" about her daughter travelling to meet Sepple, "but she was an adult so I couldn't stop her". |
| "Ashley's passion and love for Jack would ultimately cost her her life," she said. | "Ashley's passion and love for Jack would ultimately cost her her life," she said. |
| She said in court: "This is a nightmare that thanks to you, Jack, we will never wake up from." | She said in court: "This is a nightmare that thanks to you, Jack, we will never wake up from." |
| Her father, Ken Wadsworth, addressed the defendant directly, telling him: "Jack, you need to know and accept the brutality of what you've done and the never-ending pain you've caused my family." | Her father, Ken Wadsworth, addressed the defendant directly, telling him: "Jack, you need to know and accept the brutality of what you've done and the never-ending pain you've caused my family." |
| Ms Wadsworth was pronounced dead at the address on Tennyson Road | Ms Wadsworth was pronounced dead at the address on Tennyson Road |
| The court heard the pair met online when Ms Wadsworth was 12 and Sepple was aged about 15 and they had a long-distance relationship, but Sepple had other relationships during this time. | |
| Ms Wadsworth moved to the UK in November, according to her Facebook account, and the court heard she had travelled on a tourist visa. | Ms Wadsworth moved to the UK in November, according to her Facebook account, and the court heard she had travelled on a tourist visa. |
| The court was told that on the morning of the killing a neighbour said she had heard a female scream, and Ms Wadsworth came to her and told her that Sepple "had beaten her up and thrown the kitten against the wall". | The court was told that on the morning of the killing a neighbour said she had heard a female scream, and Ms Wadsworth came to her and told her that Sepple "had beaten her up and thrown the kitten against the wall". |
| Ms Wadsworth was "hysterical" and said that Sepple was going to kill her, but Sepple apologised and seemed "calm", the court heard. | Ms Wadsworth was "hysterical" and said that Sepple was going to kill her, but Sepple apologised and seemed "calm", the court heard. |
| 'Horror' | |
| It was told the defendant had previous convictions including harassment, breaching a restraining order by contacting a girl after she ended their online relationship, and assault on his mother. | It was told the defendant had previous convictions including harassment, breaching a restraining order by contacting a girl after she ended their online relationship, and assault on his mother. |
| Mr Spence, prosecuting, said Sepple had a "clear history of violent and controlling behaviour towards female partners". | Mr Spence, prosecuting, said Sepple had a "clear history of violent and controlling behaviour towards female partners". |
| Christopher Paxton KC, mitigating, said the killing happened amid "a breakdown of the relationship" and Sepple had admitted the murder. | Christopher Paxton KC, mitigating, said the killing happened amid "a breakdown of the relationship" and Sepple had admitted the murder. |
| Cheryl Williams, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said Ms Wadsworth was "a mere two days away from flying back home when she was killed". | |
| She said witness testimony detailed "the toxic controlling behaviour displayed by Sepple". | |
| Det Supt Scott Egerton, of Essex Police, said Ms Wadsworth's family "could never have imagined the horror they've been faced with". | |
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