KENT MAN GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER IN WOMAN'S SEX STRANGULATION DEATH
A person named Marcus Coates has been found guilty of manslaughter in connection with the death of Jennie Banner.According to court testimony, Coates used a belt to strangle Jennie during a sexual encounter, then covered her body with a duvet and left it untouched for five days.
Despite denying involvement in murder and manslaughter, the jury returned a guilty verdict for manslaughter.
Judge Philip Statman remarked that he perceives Coates as a dangerous individual and is considering sentencing options such as imprisonment for public protection or a discretionary life term.
The sentencing hearing has been deferred until March 2.
Coates’s criminal record includes a 1999 conviction for a serious sexual assault, during which he wounded a woman with a knife and razor.
The court detailed that Coates had wrapped a belt around Jennie’s neck, tightening it until she lost consciousness and died, then failing to report her death for five days.
Jennie Banner, aged 32, was a former prostitute with no known interest in bondage, and her body was discovered in her flat in Chatham.
Prosecutors argued that her death was a murder, opposing Coates's claim that her passing was accidental.
Members of Jennie Banner’s family expressed deep sorrow, revealing she was making positive life changes and was well-loved and popular.
The case also revealed Coates’s prior history of controlling and violent behaviors, including a previous conviction for a sexual assault involving a woman and her young child.
The verdict highlights the tragic loss of a young woman with a future ahead of her, and the court emphasizes the need for a tough sentence to protect the community from a dangerous offender.
