Man jailed for life for girlfriend stabbing murder
A man who stabbed his ex-girlfriend 29 times and left her to die from her injuries has been jailed for life.
Gerald Palmer, 50, from Battle, East Sussex, admitted murdering 47-year-old Carrie Izzard and was ordered to serve at least 22 years.
Ms Izzard's body was found at her home in Herstmonceux in March this year.
After sentencing at Hove Crown Court, Sussex Police said Palmer had "wheedled" his way into her life following the death of her husband.
Det Supt Jason Taylor said Palmer sought to control Ms Izzard and attacked her after she ended the relationship.
Police said Palmer befriended her after her husband died suddenly in 2014, and they started a relationship and ran a tackle business from her shop.
When Ms Izzard suspected Palmer was cheating on her and ended the relationship, he drove to her home, attacked her with a knife and left her to die, officers said.
'Spiteful and bitter'
The force said Ms Izzard's family drove to her home after she did not return calls.
Officers found her body slumped against a door inside the house.
Police described Palmer as "a manipulative man who gave little but took a lot".
Det Supt Taylor said: "When Carrie finally broke free, he could not accept it; and when his initial attempts to win her back were unsuccessful, he became spiteful and bitter, tragically ending her life in a violent and cruel way."
In a statement issued through police, Ms Izzard's family said: "The loss of Carrie was and still is a devastating shock and in such violent, unloving and cruel circumstances is something which we will never recover from.
"The realisation of losing her hits us in waves and we are still finding it hard to deal with our loss."