Mari O'Flynn murder: Simon Parks jailed minimum 25 years

Simon Parks will serve a minimum of term of 25 years in prison

A man who murdered and sexually assaulted his partner's "vulnerable and frail" mother has been jailed for life, with a minimum term of 25 years.

Mari O'Flynn, 79, was found dead at the home in Leach Road, Bettws, near Newport, that she shared with her daughter Clare and Simon Parks, 52.

Parks had resentment and anger she had moved in, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said it was clear he had "caused lifelong trauma and unimaginable grief" to her family.

The judge said Mrs O'Flynn, a mother-of-three and a great-grandmother, had "fought for her life, biting you and scratching your face so that you bled."

The court heard that Parks, an alcoholic, started drinking at 06:50 BST on the morning of 24 May 2022. He bought eight cans of lager from a shop before returning for another four cans and cigarettes.

By 08:00 he had returned to the house.

Mari O'Flynn was found dead at a house in Bettws

Prosecutor Michael Jones KC said he "walked in through the door, he then attacked, murdered and sexually assaulted" Mrs O'Flynn, who was in bed.

Parks was seen an hour and a half later walking to a nearby shop with injuries to his face "continually dabbing his face with a tissue".

The court heard he bought more alcohol and drank it on a bench outside until he was physically sick and passed out. After an ambulance was called, he refused treatment at The Grange hospital in Cwmbran.

• Man appears in court on city murder charge

• Man charged with murder of woman, 79

'I've had it now, I've killed her'

Mr Jones told the court Parks said: "I'm absolutely fine. I just want to go home. My partner will go mad if I'm not there when she gets home."

When he returned home he spoke with a neighbour saying "I've had it now, I've killed her".

When asked why, Parks responded "fags - she wouldn't give me any, she wound me up so I strangled her".

The neighbour called 999 and Parks was arrested.

The court heard that bodycam footage from police after he was arrested showed him admitting to assaulting and murdering Mrs O'Flynn, although he said "no comment" in official police interviews.

Mrs O'Flynn had moved to live in the house with her daughter in autumn 2021.

Parks assaulted and murdered Mrs O'Flynn at the house in Bettws

The court heard that Parks left shortly afterwards, following incidents where he had threatened Mrs O'Flynn, including once with a knife. He moved back into the house five days before he murdered her.

In a statement, Mrs O'Flynn's family said: "We will always try to remember mam for her sparkle, repeating her funny stories about the good times she had living in Greece, or hogging the TV to watch all the sport, whilst drinking endless cups of tea.

"Today, and the last six months have been harrowing, and there is some peace knowing the man responsible is behind bars."

Sarah Taylor, Mrs O'Flynn's youngest daughter, told the court she was "overwhelmed with grief" and that it was "unbearable to think of her lying alone and I couldn't comfort her".

Mrs Taylor said that the family had not learned about the sexual assault until September.

'It makes me sick to my core'

"I didn't think things could get any worse, so the thought of this is torturous, nothing could have prepared us to hear that," she said.

"Simon was our sister's partner. He'd been living with my mother and sister when he sexually assaulted her. It makes me sick to my core that he abused their trust.

"My mother was so tiny compared to him and would have been absolutely defenceless."

Parks admitted murder at a hearing in October.

David Elias KC, defending, said Parks had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and those that knew him were at a "total loss" to understand why.

"This defendant concedes and accepts the evidence he has seen, and there was some sexual element and conduct within this offence," he said.

"The extent of that conduct will almost certainly never be known. Looking back on it, in the cold light of day, he accepts that Mari O'Flynn must have been terrified by that ordeal."

Judge Lloyd-Clarke said: "This offence is aggravated by the fact that Mrs O'Flynn was particularly vulnerable because of her age and her disabilities.

"It is further aggravated by the mental and physical suffering inflicted upon her before her death"

"It is clear what you have done has caused lifelong trauma and unimaginable grief to Mrs O'Flynn's family."

She told Parks he would not be considered for parole for 25 years.