Man who doused girlfriend in petrol & set her alit faces life in jail

A man whose girlfriend died two years after he deliberately set her on fire today (Fri) admitted a charge of murder.

Leigh Pateman doused mother-of-four Ellen Marshall in petrol as she sat in a chair before setting her alight at Firbeck Avenue, Skegness, during an argument in April 2021.

Pateman, 45, was jailed in March 2022 for 17 years and 10 months after he admitted a charge of causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, and it was initially hoped Ms Marshall would survive despite her horrific injuries.

But the Crown Prosecution Service brought a murder charge against Pateman after Ms Marshall died aged 43 in Nottingham City Hospital on 11 March 2023 - nearly two years from the attack.

Alcoholic Pateman today appeared at Lincoln Crown Court via a video link from HMP Garth where he is currently serving his sentence.

Wearing a white t-shirt, Pateman pleaded guilty to the murder of Ellen Marshall on 11 March 2023 - the date of her death.

Judge Simon Hirst adjourned sentence on Pateman until 2 December and said he now faced a sentence of life imprisonment.

The judge said 'This is a case which isn't a stranger to me', having previously sentenced Patemen on the GBH charge.

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Judge Hirst told Pateman: 'You will be sentenced on 2 December. You know the only sentence I can pass upon you is one of life imprisonment.

'What I need to decide is the mininum term you will have to serve before you can appear before a parole board.'

Katherine Goddard KC, defending Pateman, said it was understood the deceased's daughter wished to attend court on the day of sentence.

Miss Goddard added: 'There is no basis of plea (from Mr Pateman) only that there was no intention to kill, only to cause grievous bodily harm, which is consistent with the last hearing.'

Prosecutor Sarak Knight said that basis had been considered and was acceptable to the Crown Prosecution Service.

The previous sentence hearing was told how firefighters discovered Ms Marshall, who was originally from Nottingham, lying on the floor of the property.

She had suffered 80 per cent burns and was taken to Nottingham City Hospital, before being transferred to a specialist burns unit.

Despite 12 hours of surgery she was given less than a 50 per cent chance of survival.

She lost several of her fingers. Lincolnshire Police said later she was unlikely to make a full recovery.

Pateman was later arrested at his mother's house.

The court heard Pateman had made a previous threat to set his partner alight and had kept the petrol at his property, but she did not believe him.

Ms Marshall was still conscious when firefighters found her and managed to give her name, but claimed the injuries were self-inflicted.

Following his sentencing in 2022, a spokesman for Lincolnshire Police described it as 'one of the worst cases of domestic violence we have seen.'

Pateman, who had fled the scene on his bike, was found at his mother's house, where he had gone to bed, covered in soot.

He was arrested and treated for burns before being taken into police custody.

The court heard Pateman and Ms Marshall had frequently argued in the months before the attack and he had previously threatened to set her on fire.

Judge Simon Hirst, passing sentence in 2022, told Pateman: 'It is difficult to think of a crueller crime than setting someone alight.

'You used a highly dangerous weapon with the use of fire and an accelerant.

'Her injuries are irreversible and she will never be able to return to her former life.

The court heard distressing details of the scene which met fire crews who were called to the couple's shared house in Firbeck Avenue by a neighbour on 22 April 2021.

Once inside, they found the living room covered in black smoke and were alerted to the presence of a woman by a gurgling sound.

Prosecutor Sarah Knight said this led rescuers to Ms Marshall, who was writhing around in 'extreme pain'.

'There was little hair left on her head,' said Ms Knight. 'Her face was so badly burnt even then it was difficult to make out her facial features.'

Ms Marshall suffered burns to her face, neck, abdomen, chest and limbs, lost several fingers and sustained serious eye injuries in the attack.

Upon admission to hospital she required mechanical ventilation and her chance of survival was then placed at less than 50%.