STEVEN DUNKS

MAN JAILED FOR LIFE FOR BRUTAL MURDER OF EX-PARTNER IN HEYWOOD

Steven Dunks, a 45-year-old man from Milnrow Road, Shaw, Oldham, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his former partner, Lynne Howarth.

Dunks attacked Howarth with excessive force at her home in Heywood, Greater Manchester, resulting in "catastrophic damage" to her head and face.

The court was told he had a volatile on-and-off relationship with Howarth for 18 months, during which he was also involved with a second woman.

When the relationship ended, he refused to accept Howarth had moved on to a new partner and confronted her at her home, saying he "would rather see her dead before seeing her with someone else." Dunks murdered Lynne Howarth shortly after, turning up at her home again in the early hours of July 27, 2014, and carrying out the attack.

Her body was not discovered until a month later.

During this period, Dunks stole £300 from her bank account and used her Facebook and mobile phone to send messages pretending she was still alive.

After sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Richard Eales of Greater Manchester Police said, "Dunks was quite happy to string along two women at the same time, but the thought of her moving on with her life and finding a new partner sent him into a terrible rage.

He ended her life in one of the most violent ways I have seen as a detective, causing "catastrophic damage" to her head and face." Dunks was handed a life sentence with a minimum of 19 years to serve before eligible for parole, and the court highlighted his violent nature and volatile relationship history in his sentencing.