A man killed his girlfriend by pouring petrol on her and setting her ablaze.

Leigh Pateman had been behind bars for nearly 18 years for a heinous crime he committed against his girlfriend, Ellen Marshall. He had poured petrol all over her before setting her on fire, ultimately leading to her death. It was a tragic and senseless act of violence that shook the community of Firbeck Avenue, Skegness in April of 2021.

During an argument with Ellen, Leigh had doused her with petrol and set her alight while she was sitting in a chair. Firefighters arrived at the scene and found her lying on the floor, conscious but with severe burns covering 80% of her body. Despite undergoing 12 hours of surgery, Ellen was given a slim 50% chance of survival. It was a long and painful battle for her, spending the rest of her life in various hospitals and care homes until she passed away at the age of 43 in Nottingham City Hospital, two years after the horrific incident.

Leigh had fled the scene on his bike, but was eventually found covered in soot at his mother's house where he had gone to bed. He later admitted to Ms. Marshall's murder when he appeared in court via video link from HMP Garth on Friday. This was not his first offense, as he had previously been sentenced to 17 years and 10 months in prison for causing grievous bodily harm with intent. However, after Ellen's death on March 11, 2023, he was charged with murder.

The judge, Simon Hirst, adjourned the sentencing until December 2, stating that the only appropriate sentence for Leigh was life imprisonment. He needed to determine the minimum term that Leigh would have to serve before being eligible for parole.

Detective Inspector Andy McWatt expressed his shock and disgust at the brutality of the attack, calling it "truly shocking and barbaric." He could not even begin to imagine the fear and pain that Ellen must have felt during the attack and the two years of suffering that followed. He also acknowledged the pain that her family had to endure, watching their loved one suffer for so long. However, he hoped that they could find some sense of closure knowing that her killer would finally be held accountable for his actions.

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