Murderer who killed wife in petrol fire is jailed

Denise Keane-Simmons was sent a message by her husband saying he hoped she would "suffer and die"

A "controlling and jealous" man who used petrol to set fire to his estranged wife in her home has been jailed for a minimum of 32 years.

Damion Simmons doused Denise Keane-Simmons, 36, in petrol in Harlesden, north-west London, early on 16 April 2020. She died later that morning.

Simmons, 45, sent a voice note to his victim the night before, saying "I hope you suffer and die," his trial heard.

He also posted sexual photographs of her on social media that evening.

As well as his mandatory life sentence for murder, Simmons was given a concurrent sentence of 20 years for arson with intent to endanger life.

The Old Bailey had heard how Simmons set up a spy camera in his wife's bedroom and installed recording equipment to listen in to her conversations.

Sentencing him, Judge Philip Katz described the final months of Ms Keane-Simmons' life as a "desperately sad story", with her having "to endure the possessiveness and cruelty of the man she had just married".

The judge told Simmons: "It was your own possessive and controlling conduct towards your new wife which destroyed the marriage, not the efforts of people close to Denise whose only concern was her welfare."

Damion Simmons claimed he had not meant for his estranged wife to die

Giving evidence during his murder trial, Simmons admitted being a "controlling and jealous" husband who had harassed his wife.

However, he maintained he had not meant for her to die, claiming he he had tried to set himself on fire and was about to pour petrol on himself when Ms Keane-Simmons had knocked it out of his hand.

Simmons poured petrol through the letterbox before breaking a window and climbing into the house

On the night of the murder police attended the house after Ms Keane-Simmons reported that Simmons had posted a naked image of her on Instagram. Officers left at about 01:30 BST, 40 minutes before the fire was started.

Simmons had been hiding in the front garden waiting for the police to leave. He then poured petrol through the letterbox before breaking a front-room window and climbing in.

When he was still living in the marital home, Simmons installed this light-bulb camera

Within 30 seconds, he had started a fire. An expert told the jury that Ms Keane-Simmons' injuries were consistent with petrol being poured over her and ignited.

Ms Keane-Simmons suffered burns to 60% of her body and from the effects smoke inhalation. She was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead that same morning.

'Thought about himself'

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Ms Keane-Simmons's aunt Helen Keane said: "Words cannot really express how devastated we are.

"It is a pain that is indescribable and one that we will never forget," she said of the impact of the death of her niece, who had worked as a teaching assistant at a primary school for 11 years.

"Denise had so much more to offer the world but unfortunately she was taken from us way too soon.

"The defendant has not shown a single ounce of remorse throughout this trial, all he has thought about is himself, and we as a family truly believe he was fully aware of his intentions that night he set fire to the house."

Simmons was caught on CCTV filling up a petrol canister before the attack

Olcay Sapanoglu, from the CPS, said: "Damion Simmons carried out a jealous campaign of torment and abuse against his wife which culminated in him murdering her in the most horrific of ways - simply because he could not accept that their relationship was over.

"Simmons' violent actions have resulted in a devastating loss of life. While nothing can bring Denise back, I hope this conviction provides some sense of justice to her family and friends."