MARK BARROTT

LEEDS MAN SENTENCED FOR KILLING WIFE IN FINAL ACT OF CONTROL

Mark Barrott, a 55-year-old man from Leeds, was convicted of murdering his wife, Eileen, in August 2021.

According to court reports, he attacked her with a hammer twice before strangling her at their family home.

He initially admitted to manslaughter but was found guilty of her murder in July.

The judge at Bradford Crown Court sentenced him to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years before parole eligibility.

The court heard that Barrott had a history of controlling and jealous behavior, which included following his wife on nights out, turning up unannounced, and tracking her movements with a hidden device.

The court also heard that following her decision to leave him on August 4, 2021, he murdered her as a "final act of control," knowing she had changed her mind and was leaving.

After the killing, Barrott fled to Scotland, prompting a nationwide manhunt, and was eventually arrested near Elgin on August 19.

The court described his behavior as coercive and controlling over many years, which culminated in the deadly attack.

The judge noted that the circumstances of Mrs.

Barrott's death could never be fully known, and Barrott's various explanations for what had happened were dismissed as false.

The case highlighted the severe effects of coercive control and domestic abuse, leading to the murder and subsequent life sentence for Barrott.