A former police officer has been jailed for 16 years for a “brutal” try and kill his ex-girlfriend after he discovered she was planning to begin a relationship with one other man.
James Riley, 28, strangled PhD pupil Ellie Moxham and left her unconscious in a resort room in Manchester on 10 November 2022 earlier than calling for an ambulance about 11 minutes later.
She was put into an induced coma and awoke the following day, however nonetheless suffers cognitive difficulties and anxiousness.
Riley, of Jepps Avenue in Barton, Preston, was on the time an off-duty officer for Lancashire Police, a job from which he was dismissed final yr.
Sentencing Riley for tried homicide at Manchester Crown Court, Judge Patrick Field stated he was consumed with “uncontrollable anger and a jealous rage”.
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“It is clear that she had no intention whatsoever of reconciling with you. She was intent on forming a new relationship with another man,” he stated.
“As a result of that you became consumed by uncontrollable anger and a jealous rage, and you attacked her with murderous intent.”
The couple had been in a relationship for a number of years and acquired a home collectively in 2021, however it was successfully over by the point of the assault.
The relationship had turn out to be “characterised by jealousy and possessive behaviour” on Riley’s half, the decide stated, however Miss Moxham had agreed to earlier plans to attend a live performance with him.
‘I’ve killed Ellie’
She was persuaded to remain at a resort – a call the decide is “sure she will forever regret” – and this all could have been interpreted as a willingness to reconcile, Judge Field stated, referring to a pre-sentence report.
Miss Moxham has no reminiscence of the incident, however it was “clear” Riley “gripped her throat and strangled her with such force over a significant period that her brain was starved of oxygen”.
Judge Field went on: “To your discredit – once you realised Miss Moxham was indeed very seriously injured and in need of expert medical assistance – your first reaction seems to have been to call your parents to speak to them for about 11 minutes before, almost as an afterthought, calling for an ambulance.”
At 11.16pm Riley phoned his mother and father and advised them: “I’ve killed Ellie and I’m going to kill myself. I just wanted to say goodbye.”
Riley’s mom referred to as the police following the decision and one minute later Riley himself rang for an ambulance.
As he made the 999 name, he was captured on CCTV fleeing the resort via the hearth escape, the court docket heard.
Riley had been as a consequence of go on trial final November however modified his plea to responsible per week earlier than.
‘James destroyed my vanity’
The ongoing cognitive issues for Miss Moxham, a pupil at Lancaster University with educating tasks, have been a “serious impairment”, the decide added.
She suffered from extreme fatigue, poor focus, reminiscence deficit and frequent complications, the court docket heard.
“Although I count myself as extremely fortunate that I cannot remember anything about that night, I frequently have terrifying nightmares in which I am being attacked, strangled and suffocated,” she stated.
“This has all fed into feelings of anxiety in my day-to-day life and a tendency to overthink.”
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She advised the court docket that the ache in her life Riley had triggered was “nigh on indescribable”.
“James destroyed my self-esteem by making derogatory comments about my looks. He said he was superior to me at everything and that I could do nothing right,” she added.
“He became increasingly frustrated and angry at the slightest things. My character would be obliterated and it was always my fault.
“He alienated me from myself. I believe it’s going to take a very long time to respect me once more.”
David James, defending, said: “Mr Riley is aware of he has let down everybody in his life. He is aware of he has let down the police power and his police colleagues.
“He wishes to apologise to his family but most of all he does wish to publicly apologise to Miss Moxham.”
Riley, who should serve two-thirds of his jail time period earlier than he could be launched on licence, was additionally issued a restraining order stopping him from contacting Miss Moxham or knowingly going inside 50 metres of her.
Source: information.sky.com”