A British man who killed his Canadian girlfriend sent her family a letter from prison.
Jack Sepple, 23, stabbed 19-year-old Ashley Wadsworth to death at the one-bedroom flat they shared in Chelmsford, Essex, on 1 February - just days before she was set to be reunited with her family in Canada.
On Monday (10 October), Sepple was sentenced to life in prison for her murder, with judge, the Honourable Mr Justice Murray, telling Chelmsford Crown Court it was a 'brutal and cowardly attack' and that Sepple 'gratuitously inflicted some 90 wounds on her body'.
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While behind bars, Sepple sent an apology letter to Ashley's family, which has now been published by The Independent.
The letter reads: "I know that no matter what I wrote there is nothing I can say that can bring Ashley back nor can I make your pain go away.
"I'm very sorry for what I did, and I regret my actions that led to taking Ashley's life.
"You have known of my mental health as I was open to Ashley about this and how it affected my thinking and whilst other people may not believe me my mental health had deteriorated rapidly and it's no excuse, but I know my intrusive thoughts have a big effect on my thinking and my actions.
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"I just wanted to tell you I am so so sorry."
The judge said the pair met online when Ashley was aged 12 and Sepple was around 15 and they had a long-distance relationship, though Sepple had relationships with other women during this time.
The judge said Ashley travelled to the UK on a six-month tourist visa while on a gap year shortly before Christmas 2021.
He added that a week before the murder, Ashley had 'indicated to her mother that things were not going well and she wanted to return to Canada' and Sepple faced 'imminent loss of control over her'.
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Handing down a life sentence with a minimum term of 23 years and six months, Sepple was branded a 'dangerous individual'.
Sepple had admitted to her murder at an earlier hearing and showed no reaction as he was sentenced.
Simon Spence KC, prosecuting, said Sepple 'strangled and repeatedly stabbed Ashley and left her in the bed that they shared while he went about his daily business', and when police forced entry to the property they found him on a FaceTime call to his sister 'as he showed her the body'.
Spence added that Sepple had a 'clear history of violent and controlling behaviour towards female partners'.
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His previous convictions include harassment, breaching a restraining order by contacting a girl after she ended their online relationship, and an assault of his mother, the court heard.
The court hearing was scheduled in the afternoon to allow family members in Canada to follow proceedings online, and Ashley's parents flew to England to attend the court in person.
Her mum, Christy Gendron, said in court: "This is a nightmare that thanks to you, Jack, we will never wake up from."
Jake Massey