Page last updated at 14:39 GMT, Thursday, 5 March 2009

Domestic abuse killer is jailed


John Bickford subjected Carol Chambers to years of abuse

A Teesside man who beat his partner to death after subjecting her to constant abuse has been jailed for eight years.

Mother-of-three Carol Chambers, 48, died after being found unconscious at her home in Simpson Road, West Auckland, in July last year.

John Bickford, 60, had denied manslaughter but was convicted by a unanimous verdict in February.

Judge Peter Fox told Teesside Crown Court that Ms Chambers had suffered "continual domestic violence".

The court heard that Ms Chambers was regularly beaten up by Bickford and often left covered in bruises.

Judge Fox, said that she had previously suffered fractured ribs after being attacked by Bickford.

On 26 July, he hit Ms Chambers after growing jealous about her relationship with a man she had met while on holiday in Australia, the court was told.

She was knocked unconscious and suffered serious head injuries, and died in hospital.

Speaking outside court, her daughter Simone Chambers paid tribute to a "brilliant mother" who was "the life and soul of the party".

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