Essex man jailed for life after murdering ex-partner

An Essex man has been given a life sentence, with a minimum term of 16 years, after killing his ex-partner.

Mark Donavan murdered mother of two, Elise Mason in April 2023 in Great Baddow.

The court was extremely emotional as it heard Donovan’s sentence, although he did not appear in the dock.

The 40 year-old, from Rothmans Avenue, who had broken his restraining order after attacking Miss Mason in 2022, killed her in the home they’d once shared, striking her head with a table lamp, as well as inflicting multiple other injuries.

Afterwards he went to the pub, then a massage parlour, which was closed, before handing himself in to the police station eating a Chinese take-away.

Elise Masons daughter wrote in a statement: "My mum was killed for leaving an abusive relationship and trying to give her children a better life and herself the freedom she deserved"

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