A man has been jailed for life for murdering his partner who died with severe burns two years after he poured petrol on her and set her on fire.
Leigh Pateman, 45, was previously sentenced to 17 years and 10 months in prison for grievous bodily harm with intent, but admitted the murder of Ellen Marshall in November after she died from her injuries on March 11 2023.
Emergency services were called to their property in Firbeck Avenue, Skegness, on the evening of April 22 2021 where Pateman had poured petrol into Ms Marshall’s lap and set fire to her during an argument.
The defendant, who appeared by video link from HMP Garth wearing a grey T-shirt, was handed a minimum term of 23 years and 145 days by Judge Simon Hirst at Lincoln Crown Court on Monday.
The court heard that Pateman told police that he was “messing about” by flicking his lighter to “scare her” before she caught on fire and he fled the scene on his bike.
A fire crew entered the property and were met with “black smoke” before they heard Ms Marshall making a “gurgling” sound on the floor, the court was told.
Prosecutor Sarah Knight said the mother-of-four was left with “little hair on her head” and her face was so badly burned her appearance had been “radically altered”.
(My mother) lost all her independence. Her physical appearance changed so much she was unrecognisable. Eventually, her body just could not take it anymore
She told the court that Ms Marshall, who was aged 43 when she died, sustained “profoundly serious, life-altering injuries”, including 80% full thickness burns to her torso, face, and limbs, which required skin grafts.
Ms Marshall, whose chance of survival was given at less than 50%, also lost fingers and had limited movement in the years following the attack.
Her cause of death was recorded as pneumonia and the long-term consequence of burns.
Ms Knight told the court: “The cause of death is a direct consequence of the burns she sustained.”
You (Leigh Pateman) threatened to set her (Ellen Marshall) alight and pour petrol over her. On other occasions you threatened to kill Ms Marshall. This is not a sudden outburst of temper in an otherwise healthy relationship
The court heard that Pateman had traits of a mixed personality disorder, suffered alcohol dependence for more than 30 years starting when he was aged nine or 10, and regularly used drugs.
A witness who shared the multiple occupancy property with the couple heard Pateman say he was “going to set Ellen alight and pour petrol all over her” a few days before the attack, but she thought it was a “joke”, the court heard.
Ms Marshall’s daughter, Paige Clarke, wrote a victim impact statement that was read to the court which said her mother had never got to meet her first grandchild.
Ms Clarke wrote: “My mum deserved better. She became weaker and weaker as the days went by and even then she was so strong.
I have been instructed on the remorse Mr Pateman feels for his actions and the consequences to Ms Marshall and her family. They were far beyond what he intended and he has had many years to accept the enormity of his actions and the consequences
“She would always take the time to focus on how other people were, showing love and appreciation, and she never let anything or anyone drag her down.
“She lost all her independence. Her physical appearance changed so much she was unrecognisable. Eventually, her body just could not take it anymore.”
Katherine Goddard KC, defending Pateman, said: “I have been instructed on the remorse Mr Pateman feels for his actions and the consequences to Ms Marshall and her family.
“They were far beyond what he intended and he has had many years to accept the enormity of his actions and the consequences.”
Judge Hirst said to the defendant: “You threatened to set her alight and pour petrol over her. On other occasions you threatened to kill Ms Marshall.
This was a truly shocking and barbaric attack. I cannot begin to imagine how much fear she must have felt, and how painful the rest of Ellen's life was
“This is not a sudden outburst of temper in an otherwise healthy relationship.
“Whenever a person over the age of 21 is convicted of murder, the court is required to sentence the defendant to imprisonment for life. That is the position for you.”
Detective Inspector Andy McWatt of Lincolnshire Police said: “This was a truly shocking and barbaric attack. I cannot begin to imagine how much fear she must have felt, and how painful the rest of Ellen’s life was.
“Her family had to watch someone they love suffer from terrible injuries for almost two years. I hope that they can feel some measure of closure that her killer has been sentenced for that crime.”
