CHORLEY MAN JAILED FOR LIFE AFTER BRUTAL PARTNER MURDER
A man named Craig O’Sullivan, aged 40 and living in Chorley, was convicted of murder following the killing of his partner, Gemma Leeming.The crime scene and investigation revealed that he had placed a 10 pence coin on her eye and written on her chest using her blood.
O’Sullivan admitted guilt during his trial at Preston Crown Court and was sentenced to serve life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17.5 years before being eligible for parole.
Evidence from the police showed that he tried to hide his involvement by covering the ligature marks with makeup, purchased new clothing the day after the incident to avoid suspicion, and attempted to get rid of bloodstained clothes.
The post-mortem confirmed that Gemma was strangled with a ligature, and photographs depicted the coin on her eye and blood-written messages on her body.
Detective Inspector Paddy O’Neill described O’Sullivan as a 'vicious, manipulative and parasitic man,' whose plan was motivated by greed linked to his drug dependency, which ultimately led to her murder.
Witness testimony indicated that Gemma appeared happy in her relationship, but O’Sullivan’s primary interest was access to controlled drugs.
On the night of the killing, he stole her drugs and money and tried to cover his tracks.
Her family, including her two children, mourned her tragic death, which serves as a stark reminder of the destructive consequences of her partner’s violent actions.
