THE family of a young mum who was brutally murdered by her estranged husband applauded after hearing the killer will be behind bars for at least a quarter of a century.
After his conviction for the murder of Jade Ward last week, 29-year-old Russell Marsh of Chevrons Road, Shotton, appeared at Mold Crown Court on Tuesday to be sentenced.
The court heard a summary of the facts from Judge Rhys Rowlands, as well as his view on the case.
He said: "You entered her home in the early hours of the morning and subjected her to a prolonged and cruel attack by way of punishment for having had the audacity - in your eyes - of ending an unequal and controlling relationship.
"You in a self-pitying, cold and calculated way first used a knife to disfigure her: slashing at and jabbing the end of the blade into her face with your also stabbing her to her left upper arm three times.
"This before you finally ended her life by asphyxiation.
"From beginning to end, you were the aggressor, as evidenced by the lack of any real injury to you and the defensive injuries sustained by her.
"She was simply the victim of a quite horrific attack at your hands which took place whilst her four young children were but a short distance away in the house.
READ MORE: Russell Marsh sentencing as it happened
"I fear that, as she struggled to avoid suffocation at your hands, her last thoughts would have been for them and for what was to become of them.
"It was, on any view, a remarkably cruel way to end her life."
The Judge also commended members of the victim's family and friends for their conduct throughout the trial, adding: "The public gallery are to be commended for their restraint from the beginning to end when they had to listen to, at times, unpalatable and palpably false suggestions put forward as part of your case about Jade’s behaviour and that of some of her friends and family.
"I accept the view expressed at trial that you were trying to mould her into the person that you determined that she should be, with your being resentful of the influence of others, and the fact that she was from a close family with a wide social circle.
"Such behaviour is often seen in controlling and abusive relationships and sadly, as here, can escalate into violence when the controlling partner perceives and resents a lessening of their influence."
"You clearly are a dangerous individual who has shown absolutely no remorse for the dreadful violence inflicted upon Jade Marsh that morning.
READ MORE: Russell Marsh convicted of murder
"In reality, the only tears that you have shed, those shown when your father first took you to the police station at Blacon within hours of the murder, have been for your own predicament."
Judge Rowlands said there could be only one sentence for the crime of murder - life imprisonment.
The Judge handed down such a sentence to Marsh, setting a minimum of 25 years to be served before he can be considered for parole.
He made it clear that once 25 years have elapsed, he will not automatically be released - he will continue to remain in custody if it is thought necessary for the protection of the public.
If and when he is released, he will be subject to licence for the rest of his life, which means his licence could be revoked and he could be recalled to prison to continue to serve his life sentence.
The public gallery broke into applause as the court rose, and Judge Rowlands expressed his condolences to the family, thanking them once more for their restraint during the trial.
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