Newmarket: Charles Jessop jailed for Clare Nash murder

Charles Jessop stabbed Clare Nash multiple times and strangled her

A man who murdered his ex-girlfriend in a "pre-meditated and unprovoked attack" has been jailed for life.

Mother-of-two Clare Nash, 33, was stabbed multiple times and strangled by Charles Jessop at her flat in Newmarket, Suffolk, on 16 January 2020.

A jury at Ipswich Crown Court heard he was "jealous" of her new relationship, and she had reported his behaviour to police on the day she died.

Jessop, 30, was told he must serve a minimum of 30 years.

Charles Jessop pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denied murder

At his trial, the court heard Jessop took a knife and cycled to Ms Nash's flat, where he waited until she returned home before attacking her.

Jessop, 30, of Bakers Row, Newmarket, dialled 999 but Ms Nash was pronounced dead at the scene.

A pathologist could not say whether Ms Nash died by strangulation or from blood loss, with her cause of death recorded as a combination of both.

The court heard there had been a "number of violent incidents" as their relationship deteriorated and Jessop "continued to be obsessed" when she saw someone else.

Ms Nash had spoken to police about him on the morning of the day she died and the level of risk to her was assessed as "medium", prosecutor Mark Cotter QC said.

She was "given advice" and agreed to email police a recording of one of Mr Jessop's phone calls, but the recording did not arrive until the following day - "probably due to the size of the file", said the prosecutor.

The case was referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

Speaking after the sentencing hearing, an IOPC spokesperson said its investigation had resumed following the conclusion of criminal proceedings.

The mother of two was "deeply, deeply loved and will be missed", her father said