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| Man who killed Plymouth University lecturer jailed for life | Man who killed Plymouth University lecturer jailed for life |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Claire Chick was found seriously injured in West Hoe Road on the evening of 22 January | |
| A man has been jailed for a minimum of 27 years for the murder​ of his estranged wife. | A man has been jailed for a minimum of 27 years for the murder​ of his estranged wife. |
| Paul Butler, 53, of Stangray Avenue, Plymouth, previously pleaded guilty to stabbing to death 48-year-old university lecturer Claire Chick. | Paul Butler, 53, of Stangray Avenue, Plymouth, previously pleaded guilty to stabbing to death 48-year-old university lecturer Claire Chick. |
| Ms Chick was found seriously injured in West Hoe Road on the evening of 22 January and died later in hospital. | Ms Chick was found seriously injured in West Hoe Road on the evening of 22 January and died later in hospital. |
| Judge Robert Linford at Plymouth Crown Court told Butler it was "nothing less than sheer murderous brutality". | Judge Robert Linford at Plymouth Crown Court told Butler it was "nothing less than sheer murderous brutality". |
| Members of Ms Chick's family, including her then-partner Paul Maxwell, watched as CCTV showed Butler's movements in the hours before the attack, including the footage which showed her being stabbed by him at least 23 times. | Members of Ms Chick's family, including her then-partner Paul Maxwell, watched as CCTV showed Butler's movements in the hours before the attack, including the footage which showed her being stabbed by him at least 23 times. |
| The court heard victim impact statements from Ms Chick's daughters Bethany Hancock-Baxter and Lydia Peers. | The court heard victim impact statements from Ms Chick's daughters Bethany Hancock-Baxter and Lydia Peers. |
| Bethany described Butler as an "evil man" and told him jealousy had got the better of him. | Bethany described Butler as an "evil man" and told him jealousy had got the better of him. |
| She said: "Let's be honest, you must have thought if you can't have her then no-one can. | She said: "Let's be honest, you must have thought if you can't have her then no-one can. |
| 'Dark cloud' | 'Dark cloud' |
| "I live every day not as Bethany, I'm now the girl whose mother was killed by her husband." | "I live every day not as Bethany, I'm now the girl whose mother was killed by her husband." |
| Lydia, Ms Chick's youngest daughter, told the court Butler "didn't love" her mum. | Lydia, Ms Chick's youngest daughter, told the court Butler "didn't love" her mum. |
| "Stabbing my mum 23 times is not love, that is murder," she said. | "Stabbing my mum 23 times is not love, that is murder," she said. |
| "This was no accident, this was no mistake, you made sure she was gone and was never coming back." | "This was no accident, this was no mistake, you made sure she was gone and was never coming back." |
| Lydia added: "At night I still have this dark cloud over me. I can't be happy about things because my mum can't be here to enjoy it too. | Lydia added: "At night I still have this dark cloud over me. I can't be happy about things because my mum can't be here to enjoy it too. |
| "This is a life sentence for myself." | "This is a life sentence for myself." |
| Mr Maxwell said: "I loved Claire, she was beautiful, funny and kind and made the world smile whenever she was around. | Mr Maxwell said: "I loved Claire, she was beautiful, funny and kind and made the world smile whenever she was around. |
| "She cared about everyone and was so proud of her family." | "She cared about everyone and was so proud of her family." |
| He said he now lived in "constant fear" and felt "on edge" when he was alone or when it was night. | He said he now lived in "constant fear" and felt "on edge" when he was alone or when it was night. |
| Butler previously pleaded guilty to murdering the university lecturer | Butler previously pleaded guilty to murdering the university lecturer |
| Plymouth Crown Court heard the murder followed months of harassment, stalking and violence from Butler. | Plymouth Crown Court heard the murder followed months of harassment, stalking and violence from Butler. |
| Joanna Martin KC, prosecuting, said Ms Chick made six statements to the police about the defendant's conduct and he had been arrested three times for assault, harassment and stalking. | Joanna Martin KC, prosecuting, said Ms Chick made six statements to the police about the defendant's conduct and he had been arrested three times for assault, harassment and stalking. |
| She said Butler continued to stalk Ms Chick, despite being on bail and banned from going near her, and even put a tracking device on her car. | |
| Assistant chief constable Glen Mayhew said Devon and Cornwall Police made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to its previous contact with Ms Chick. | |
| 'Frenzied attack' | |
| "We are committed to fully co-operating with an ongoing independent investigation by the IOPC," he added. | |
| Police and crime commissioner Alison Hernandez said the brutal murder of Ms Chick was a "tragedy". | |
| "The statistics on violence against women and girls are truly shocking," Ms Hernandez said. | |
| "One-in-five women will be stalked in her lifetime, and one-in-four will experience domestic abuse. These are our mothers, daughters, sisters and friends." | |
| Judge Linford told Butler it was a "frenzied attack" which involved "sustained and excessive violence towards the victim". | |
| Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. | Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. |