Woman murdered by 'controlling' ex-partner

Linda Parker

A man with an "unhealthy and controlling love" for his ex-partner murdered her on the day she decided to take out a restraining order.

Armed with a chisel and knife, Glen Gibbons lay in wait at Linda Parker's house in Rochdale on 25 September 2017.

When the mother-of-four returned home he stabbed her to death.

At Manchester Crown Court, Gibbons, 51, of Bingley Square, Rochdale, admitted murder and was jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years.

During sentencing Mr Justice Simon Bryan told Gibbons he had an "unhealthy and controlling love" of his former partner of two years and it was "clear that you were not willing to let Linda go".

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/112670/glen-gibbons-charged-with-murder-of-woman-in-heywood

A week before Gibbons killed Ms Parker he told her son he was going to her house to watch her and knew it was stalking but was "going to do it", the court heard.

On the morning of her death Gibbons verbally abused the 52-year-old as she got off a bus at Rochdale bus station.

Ms Parker took a taxi to her mother's house, telling her she intended to get a restraining order against him due to his threatening behaviour, the court heard.

She went back to her home in Atholl Drive, Heywood, to collect her daughter's dog and had planned to return to her mother's house.

As she went into her house, Gibbons armed with a chisel and a knife bought that day repeatedly stabbed her in the neck and chest, posted her keys through the letterbox then fled.

He was arrested after he handed himself in at Rochdale police station.

Senior investigation officer Duncan Thorpe said Gibbons "terrified Linda" and "became more and more threatening towards her before killing her in the most savage way".

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/112616/murder-investigation-launched-after-body-of-a-woman-found-in-heywood