The family of a woman murdered by her partner who caused her horrific internal injuries with a broom handle described their "living hell". They condemned the killer for the baseless lies he told in court that added to their grief.
Carl Silcox, 45, murdered Adell Cowan, 43, who was found dead on a bed at his home in Caerphilly on October 18, 2020. She was discovered after Silcox called the police from a phone box and told the operator "I just woke up and my missus is dead."
Ms Cowan was declared dead by paramedics who attended Dol Yr Eos, in Mornington Meadows shortly after 12.10am. She had been dead for some hours. A post mortem was carried out which resulted in the discovery of severe internal injuries. Ms Cowan had also sustained a laceration to her spleen and the lining of her pelvis. The victim also had facial injuries.
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A trial at Cardiff Crown Court heard Silcox had caused the injuries to Ms Cowan with a broom handle. The defendant, of Commercial Street, Aberbargoed, claimed the deceased's injuries had been caused by a gang of youths, but changed his story and claimed Ms Cowan worked as a prostitute and her injuries had been caused by a client, but his claims were dismissed by a jury who found him guilty of murder.
In a victim personal statement read to the court at Newport Crown Court on Friday, Ms Cowan's niece Starr Richards said: "The last two years and eight months have been a living hell for our family waiting for answers and justice and though to some degree we have received some closure we're still not clear why Adell was taken from us. During the court process we have lost family and friends who did not ever know justice was finally achieved.
"It has been completely traumatic for all of Adell's family from the moment we were first contacted by the police... It's had a huge effect on us all, emotionally and psychologically. Police only made us aware of the detail that could be confirmed but we became more and more aware of the detail of the horrific circumstances of her death and the pain she must have felt. Adell did not deserve what happened to her.
"What added to pain was to hear the numerous lies told by Carl day. He suggested Adell had been a prostitute, a lie later reported in the press for all to see. He chose to attack her character and cover up the truth about what happened. the family don't understand why the truth could not have been told from the start."
Ms Richards said the family had not been able to grieve until the verdict of the jury, and it had been "impossible" to process what had happened or to heal. She said both her mother, Adell's sister, and Adell's brothers had been deeply affected by her murder.
She added: "We have lost a much loved sister and aunty who had a huge bubbly personality. She was still young and still had so much of her life to live. This was stolen for a reason still unknown to us. When you lose loved ones, all you have left is memories or photos, but what we're left with has been tainted by what we have had to listen to and hear in court."
In mitigation, John Benson KC described his client as a "loner" who had no friends and little relationship with his family. He said: "The only person he really had who he could count on as a friend is the person he killed, which is very sad."
The defence barrister said it was accepted by the prosecution that Silcox had intended to kill Ms Cowan, but conceded the defendant still denies causing the fatal injury. He added that Silcox was "lightly convicted" and was struggling with alcoholism.
Sentencing, the Recorder of Cardiff Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said: "During the evening of October 17, 2020, at your home address and for reasons unknown, you seriously assaulted Ms Cowan including using a broom handle as a weapon, causing her a serious and painful injury. You must have realised you had caused her serious injury but you did not seek medical assistance. You dressed her and some hours after she died you called the emergency services. Your behaviour was brutal and callous and has brought immense grief to those who knew and loved Ms Cowan."
Silcox was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 25 years. Once he has served that term, a parole board will decided whether he can be released and he will spent the rest of his life on licence.
Following the hearing, Deena Beynon of the CPS said: “The victim suffered extensive injuries which Silcox could offer no explanation for, despite having her blood on his clothing described as “airborne blood. The CPS presented this strong evidence to the jury resulting in his conviction. We take domestic abuse extremely seriously and will prosecute cases whenever our legal test is met. Our thoughts remain with Adelle’s family and friends over their sad loss.”
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