WARREN SPENCE CONVICTED OF DOMESTIC HOMICIDE IN HAREHILLS
A woman whose father, Warren Spence, has been convicted of murdering his partner Sam Varley has expressed her feelings about his sentencing and called for more protections for victims of domestic abuse.The woman, who chose to remain anonymous, learned of Spence's charges after looking up his name following the death of the man who raised her.
She stated that Spence was found guilty of murder at Leeds Crown Court last week, after a trial where it was revealed that Sam had reported domestic violence to the police and even predicted her own death.
Her body was discovered at their home in Brown Hill Terrace, Harehills, on February 18 of the previous year.
The autopsy showed she suffered severe injuries, including 25 rib fractures, facial injuries, and head trauma, with blood present under her head and a hammer recovered as evidence.
DNA analysis matched Warren Spence to samples taken from hair at the scene, and Sam's DNA was found on the hammer.
A mobile phone linked to Spence was also discovered under Sam's body.
During the trial, it was highlighted that Spence had previous convictions against former partners.
His daughter expressed her relief that he received a life sentence, believing he would not serve the minimum term due to his age and behavior.
She also shared that she had been abused by Spence as a child, which contributed to her mental health issues.
She detailed how Spence physically and emotionally abused her mother, including controlling her movements and inflicting violence if she tried to protect her children.
The woman emphasized the importance of increasing awareness about men who commit abuse, advocating for a register similar to the sex offenders' register to track individuals with repeated domestic violence offenses.
She concluded by stating that Spence knew exactly what he was doing and enjoyed controlling others, and she called for greater awareness for men to recognize their own red flags.
