Skegness man jailed for life for murder of partner who died two years after he set her on fire

A man formerly from Skegness has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his partner, two years after he set her on fire in the home they shared.

Leigh Pateman, 47, doused his partner Ellen Marshall in petrol and set light to her. Pateman repeatedly threatened to kill her during arguments. On 22 February 2021,Pateman took a can of petrol, intended for a strimmer, and attacked Ms Marshall. Fire officers were able to get Ms Marshall to hospital, but she had suffered catastrophic, life-changing injuries, including 80% burns.

Pateman pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and in March 2022 was sentenced to 17 years and 10 months imprisonment, with an extended licence of four years.

Following the attack Ms Marshall needed constant hospital and specialist care, until in March 2023, when she died from bronchopneumonia resulting from her injuries, which was a consequence of the severe burn injuries and debility she had suffered. The CPS subsequently charged Pateman with Ms Marshall’s murder. He pleaded guilty to murder and was today, Monday 2 December, sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 23 years and 145 days.

Paul Wright from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Leigh Pateman’s attack on Ellen Marshall and her death two years later can only be described as harrowing, distressing and tragic. Leigh Pateman had already admitted that he alone was responsible for the attack and that he intended to cause really serious harm when he did it. Ms Marshall may have survived the attack, but she spent the two years until her death in severe pain. The task for us as prosecutors was to show that Ms Marshall’s death was directly connected with the injuries she suffered at Pateman’s hands. This evidence, from medical experts, was clear. Without this horrific attack and the terrible injuries she suffered, Ms Marshall would never have suffered the condition that caused her death. Pateman has now faced the full consequences of his criminal actions on that evening in 2021.

"My heartfelt sympathies are with Ellen Marshall’s family who have had to endure not just losing a loved one in this way, but the unimaginable mental, physical and emotional pain Ms Marshall suffered.”