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The Mirror
By Ben Kendall
17:31, 10 DEC 2014 Updated 17:33, 10 DEC 2014
Police found a hammer, rope, scissors and duct tape in Scott Ellis’ car after he killed mum Jane Bartholomew, a court heard
Tragic: Ellis’ “premeditated” murder left Jane’s three daughters without a mother (Photo: Suffolk Police)
A man who killed his ex-partner and was then found with a murder kit in his car has been jailed for at least 22 years.
Scott Ellis, 42, from Tunstall Green, Suffolk, had denied murdering Jane Bartholomew, 39, but was today found guilty after a trial at Ipswich Crown Court.
Police were called to the home of mother-of-three Miss Bartholomew in Martlesham Heath on June 13 after concerns were raised for her safety.
When officers forced their way in to the house in Lark Rise they found her dead inside. Her arms and legs were tied with rope and she had a bin liner over her feet, Suffolk Police said.
When they searched Ellis’s car, they found a holdall containing a claw hammer with traces of her blood on it, nylon rope, scissors, a Stanley knife, duct tape, bin liners, freezer bags and a spade.
Further investigations found he had bought many of the items on June 7 and the holdall on June 12.
Speaking after sentencing today, Detective Inspector Kevin Hayward said: “With the findings of our investigation it was very apparent that this was a pre-meditated murder by Scott Ellis.
“He deliberately went out and bought items which he later used to kill Jane Bartholomew with and tie her up.
“Jane had been hit around the head around 20 times and she had also sustained injuries to her arms and hands suggesting that she had put up a defensive fight against Ellis.
Horror: Jane’s injuries suggested she had tried to defend herself against Ellis (Photo: PA)
“It would appear that this was a murder fuelled by rejection and jealousy that Jane wanted to move on with her life.
“This was a terrible tragedy, not least because Jane’s body was discovered by her eldest daughter who raised the alarm when she became concerned for her mother’s well-being.”
Today Judge David Goodin ordered him to serve a minimum of 22 years of a life sentence.
Mr Hayward said: “Today’s verdict confirms that Ellis committed a pre-meditated murder which has tragically left three girls without their mother.
Killer: Ellis was jailed for life with a minimum of 22 years today (Photo: PA)
“We sincerely hope that the verdict and sentencing at court will help the family to now move on with their lives and help them come to terms with what has happened with the support of extended family around them.”
Earlier on the day Miss Bartholomew was found dead, police had been called to Ellis’s home to reports he had suffered injuries to his wrists.
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Domestic Homicide Reviews – AntiDepAware
On June 13th 2014, 42-year-old Scott Ellis (right) killed his ex-girlfriend Jane Bartholomew (39) in a village on the outskirts of Ipswich. When police officers arrived at her house they found that her arms and legs had been bound, and that she had received a number of blows to the head with a hammer. Earlier in the day, officers had been called to Scott’s home after reports he had cut his wrists. He was taken to hospital but, after Jane’s body was found, he was arrested on suspicion of murder.
At his trial in December 2014, Scott denied murder, but admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. However, a jury found him guilty of Jane’s murder, and was sentenced to a minimum of 22 years in prison.
In June 2015, the DHR was published. It revealed that Scott and Jane (left) began their on-off relationship in 1993, that they had three children, and that Scott began taking antidepressants in 2000.
In January 2010, after the death of his father, Scott “felt mildly suicidal and was treated for problems with sleeping and low mood by his GP and given a sick note for 4 weeks.” Later that year, as Scott’s mood continued to be low, he was seen by a community psychiatric nurse and was advised to access counselling. He was prescribed Mirtazapine, “to which he responded well.”
At a GP review in April 2012, Scott “reported feeling a little flat in mood although he was feeling physically good. He said he was continuing to do things with his children. The plan was to wean him off Mirtazapine with the aim of trying Venlafaxine as an alternative. Gary later phoned his GP and said he wished to remain on Mirtazapine.”
By 2014, Scott and Jane’s relationship was over. When Scott saw his GP in February 2014, “it was noted that his mood was good with Mirtazapine and it was planned that he should continue to take this medication.”