Great Yarmouth man sentenced to life in prison for murdering partner
Adam Barnard was found guilty last week.
Last updated 11th Nov 2024
A man from Great Yarmouth found guilty of strangling his partner to death has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of over 18 years behind bars.
In January, mum of two, Tara Kershaw was found dead in their home on Princes Road.
An independent post mortem carried out by the Home Office deemed that her death was consistent with compression to the neck.
On Thursday November 7th, the jury delivered a unanimous guilty verdict, following a 17 day trial held over five weeks.
Barnard pleaded not guilty to her murder at an earlier hearing.
The case in more detail:
The Court heard that on 20 January, Barnard approached an officer outside Yarmouth police station, shortly before 9am, and said: “I think I’ve killed my partner.”
Barnard was arrested and later charged with murder and remanded into custody.
In his police interview, Barnard – who lived in the same guest house as the victim - provided a prepared statement that claimed Tara had attacked him with a lamp while he was sleeping.
He said he’d “instinctively turned and pinned down Tara having pushed her away,” and was in pain, in shock and had held her down by the neck. Once he felt her body go limp, he “immediately stopped.”
Barnard claimed he didn’t know how long he had pinned down Tara and had attempted to resuscitate her and when her breathing didn’t change, had covered her with a blanket and passed out on the bed.
Barnard told officers he woke up the next morning, panicked and left the property.
"Nothing will ever bring her back and take away their pain"
Following the verdict, Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Alix Wright said:
“Our thoughts today, as they have been throughout our investigation, are with Tara, her family and friends and although I am pleased with this verdict, I also know nothing will ever bring her back and take away their pain.
“Barnard was a controlling and manipulating murderer who preyed on Tara, exploited her feelings and her vulnerabilities.
“I would like to thank the jury for paying close attention to evidence presented in court which at times has been complex.
"They heard key evidence from medical experts that Tara had previous injuries to the bones in her neck caused four to seven weeks, five to ten days, and less than 6 hours before she died.
“Whenever she attempted to ask for help from authorities, she felt threatened by Barnard. He deserves to be behind bars.”
Norfolk Constabulary made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct in January 2024 in relation to previous police contact with the victim and Barnard. The IOPC has subsequently confirmed it is conducting its independent investigation.
We would encourage any victim of domestic abuse to seek help and support. You can report it to us here. A wide range of resources and advice are also available here.
If you do not want to talk to police, there are numerous partner agencies who can offer guidance. A list of local help is available here.
"We would like to be given the time to grieve the loss of Tara"
The family of Tara Kershaw issued the following statement after her body was found on Saturday 20 January 2024.
“Following the death of our beloved sister, which we are struggling to come to terms with at the present time, we would like to ask people to respect our wishes for privacy.
"We would like to be given the time to grieve the loss of Tara and come to terms with the circumstances in which her life was taken.”