Woman murdered by obsessed neighbor who bit off parts of her face, sexually assaulted and beaten to death in her own home named as murderer, gets life sentence
- Rawden Ibbitson, 32, put Jennifer Andrews through a terrible ordeal
- He inflicted 90 wounds on her, including bites, before she was sexually assaulted and killed
A killer obsessed with his neighbor, who bit off parts of her face and sexually assaulted her before beating her to death, has been sentenced to life.
Rawden Ibbitson, 32, spent more than an hour viciously attacking and strangling Jennifer Andrews, 35, after falling in love with her.
He inflicted more than 90 injuries, including multiple fractures, a brain haemorrhage and internal injuries during the attack last June, Leeds Crown Court heard.
He was sentenced to a minimum of 29 years in prison earlier this month, but Jennifer can now be named after court-ordered reporting restrictions were lifted.
In a statement released at the time of her death, her family said: “Jenni was such a beautiful and kind person who we all loved very much, she was an excellent mother.
Jennifer Andrews was bombarded with text messages because Ibbitson wanted a relationship
Rawden Ibbitson, 32, subjected Jennifer Andrews to the most horrific ordeal at his hands
“We are absolutely heartbroken and ask that people respect our privacy at what is still a very difficult time for ourselves and all those who knew and loved Jenni.”
Ibbitson, who lived opposite Jennifer, bombarded her with text messages because he wanted a relationship with her, the court was told.
She confided in friends, telling them she was afraid of him and telling one of them that “she was living in a nightmare.”
He had previously threatened to pull her teeth out with pliers, warning her to “sleep with one eye open.”
Her body was discovered shortly before midnight on June 6 last year and was “virtually unrecognizable” according to the court.
She was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead at 12:45 am.
Rawden Ibbitson’s home in Leeds, 32, where the killer became fixated on his neighbor
Jennifer died of multiple blunt force trauma and suffered extensive abrasions to her head, neck and body, a broken jaw and bruising on her head with bleeding into the brain.
There were 13 bite marks on her face, breasts, abdomen, back, forearms and thigh, a broken rib, bleeding around her heart, bleeding in her stomach and internal injuries, the court heard.
Ibbitson admitted her murder and assault by penetration at an earlier hearing and was jailed.
He had previously been diagnosed with mixed personality disorder, exacerbated by his use of alcohol and drugs.
Judge Tom Bayliss KC described his actions as displaying “unspeakable cruelty.”
He said: “The level of continued violence and the nature and extent of the injuries inflicted on your victim lead to the conclusion that, even if you may not have had such an intention when this attack began, you must have intended to kill as the attack progressed.’