Wakefield man jailed for life for murder of Kirstie Ellis in Leeds

A man who left his girlfriend's body in the bath for almost eight weeks after strangling her has been sentenced to life in prison.

The body of 35-year-old Kirstie Ellis was only found at her home in Leeds after Tony Brooks was arrested on suspicion of an unrelated burglary.

During his police interview, Brooks said he knew about a murder and directed police to Stanhall Mews in Stanningley.

The body of Ms Ellis was discovered under a blanket in the bath at the property on 25 March. It is thought she had been dead since 1 February.

A post-mortem examination confirmed that she had been strangled.

Brooks, 36, of Agbrigg Road in Wakefield, claimed the killing had been carried out by a drug dealer.

But the police investigation established he had violently attacked her. It is thought he pummelled her with part of a coffee table before strangling her with a dressing gown cord and a HDMI cable.

He stuffed socks and a lint roller in her mouth before calling another woman to ask her to pick him up.

Brooks went on to sell Ms Ellis's television and withdraw £1,500 from her bank account. Her bank card and PIN number were later found at an address Brooks had been staying at in Castleford.

Brooks initially admitted killing Ms Ellis but denied murder. However, he changed his plea to guilty at Leeds Crown Court.

He was jailed for a minimum of 24 years and nine months.

In a statement, Kirstie's family said they had endured a "living nightmare" and said they hoped her death would highlight the problem of domestic violence.

They said: "Our daughter Kirstie was a beacon of light to all those who were fortunate enough to have known her and who wanted to raise the awareness of domestic abuse after suffering through it herself.

"The problem of abuse has never gone away but is there hidden in plain sight behind closed doors, and now we unfortunately have lost our precious daughter and baby girl Kirstie to it.

"We remember Kirstie as a vibrant soul, Kirstie loved a drink, to dance and sing the night away. Kirstie's light will now forever shine bright in our family, among our friends and in all those who knew Kirstie's happiness. She will always be remembered for her sense of fun and joy, which has guided us through these troubling times."

Det Supt Helen Steele, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "Brooks is a callous and nasty individual whose brutal actions robbed Kirstie of her life and have left her family absolutely devastated.

"He displayed a complete disregard for her in the weeks that followed her murder, as she lay undiscovered while he sold off items of her property taken from the address."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.