Man who stabbed and stamped on the face of his ex girlfriend has today been jailed for life

September 19, 2012, 3:12 pm

A man who stabbed and stamped on the face of his ex girlfriend has today been jailed for life.

Ian Lowe (born 30/07/1987), of no fixed abode has today Wednesday 18 September 2012 been sentenced at Crown Court Crown Square to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 28 years.

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At about 7.45pm on Sunday 11 March 2012, police were called by the ambulance service to Mellor Street following reports a woman had been assaulted.

Officers attended and found 24-year-old Leanne McNuff with serious injuries. She was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead a short time later.

The post mortem examination concluded that Leanne died from multiple stab wounds.

There was a history of domestic abuse between the couple and the relationship between Lowe and Leanne broke down in early 2012.

Lowe was a serving lance corporal in the army based at Catterick.

In the early evening of Sunday 11 March 2012 Leanne confided in her friend that Lowe had hacked into her facebook account and sent defaming messages.

While she was with Leanne, the friend overheard threatening phone calls from Lowe.

At 7.45pm one of Leannes friends called 999 to say Leanne had been assaulted and had seen Lowe running from her address.

Members of the family also saw Lowe run away and ran into Leannes house where they found her collapsed at the top of the stairs.

Paramedics attended and found her in a state of cardiac arrest. She was taken to Tameside General Hospital where she died.

Senior Investigating Officer Andy Tattersall from Major Incident Team said: “This was a senseless barbaric murder of a young woman.

“Leanne was a much loved mother, daughter and sister who had her whole life ahead of her.

“She will not get to watch her son grow up and he will now have to do so without his mother.

“He has now been jailed, and will have to live the rest of his life with the knowledge that he is responsible for killing Leanne who he professed to love.

“Domestic abuse is not acceptable under any circumstances and GMP can now act on information or evidence from a victim’s family, friends or neighbours rather than just from the victim.

“We also have specialist domestic abuse investigators in place to provide a first response to victims and support them throughout the criminal justice process and work closely with partners such as local authorities and the Women’s Domestic Abuse Helpline to continually improve the support services offered to victims.”

Statement from Leannes Mum Margaret McNuff: “The trial might be over but I will never forget the way in which my daughter Leanne was killed.

“Ian Lowe carried on stabbing her when she had hit the floor and then stamped on her face several times.  This was a brutal and vicious attack on a beautiful young mother in front of his son.

“It makes me feel sick and now my family and I have the biggest sentence of all, we will never have Leanne back and Jaden will never see his Mummy, who he constantly says he misses.

“Family and friends in the Droylsden community have been so supportive and I would like to thank every last one of them in helping me through these difficult times.  The most important thing in my life right now is my family and my grandson who I will bring up with manners and morals and respect like I did with Leanne and Ryan.

“I would like to thank Greater Manchester Police including the SIO Andy Tattersall, Investigating Officers Brain Urmson and Kevin Moore and Family Liaison Officer DC Jacqueline OHara.”

To contact your local domestic abuse unit call the GMP switchboard on 101. In an emergency where there is an immediate threat to life or property, always call 999.

People can also contact the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, if they suspect a family member, friend or neighbour is suffering from domestic abuse.