Eileen Barrott death: Life sentence for husband who killed wife

Eileen Barrott, 50, was found unresponsive at her home in Whinmoor in August 2021

A man who killed his wife in a "final act of control" and then went on the run has been jailed for life.

Mark Barrott, 55, struck his wife, Eileen, twice with a hammer before strangling her at their home in Leeds in August 2021.

Barrott had admitted manslaughter, but was found guilty of her murder in July.

At Bradford Crown Court, Judge Andrew Hatton ordered him to serve a minimum term of 21 years before being considered for parole.

Passing sentence, the judge said the circumstances of Mrs Barrott's death would never be precisely known.

She was last seen on household CCTV on Saturday 14 August and was pronounced dead at 18:35 BST on 15 August after being found by her son Joel.

The judge said the defendant had "failed to honestly share" what had happened and dismissed Barrott's various accounts as "demonstrably false".

A manhunt was launched to find Mark Barrott, who fled to Scotland after murdering his wife

During a nine-day trial at Leeds Crown Court, witnesses spoke of how Barrott had been controlling and jealous of his wife.

The judge said this included following her on nights out, turning up without warning when she was out, and tracking her movements using a device hidden in her handbag.

While some of the behaviour was attributable to Barrott's mental health conditions, not all of it was, the judge added.

Mrs Barrott had threatened to leave him on several occasions, but her husband would persuade her to stay using threats of suicide, the court was told.

Judge Hatton said it was clear from the evidence that she had again decided to leave on 4 August 2021, but by 10 August had opted to stay.

"I am satisfied she changed her mind on the evening of the 14th or the morning of the 15th," the judge said.

"This time you knew there were no final chances. Your pathetic threats of suicide, your control and manipulation, had come to an end and you killed her in a final act of control over her."

After the murder, Barrott fled to Scotland, prompting a nationwide manhunt until he was eventually traced and arrested at a monastery near Elgin on 19 August.

Det Ch Insp Vanessa Rolfe, from West Yorkshire Police, said Barrott had been responsible for an "appalling catalogue of coercive and controlling behaviour against his wife" for a number of years.

"When he realised she was trying to finally break free from this toxic relationship, he acted with murderous intent," she said.

Barrott did not attend court for the hearing and was sentenced in his absence.

Following the sentencing, Mrs Barrott's parents, Dinos Constantinou and Lita Hopkins, and her children, Joel and Carita Barrott, thanked police and those who had supported them and gave evidence.