Man who killed Plymouth University lecturer jailed for life

A man has been jailed for a minimum of 27 years for the murder​ of his estranged wife.

Paul Butler, 53, of Stangray Avenue, Plymouth, previously pleaded guilty to stabbing to death 48-year-old university lecturer Claire Chick.

Ms Chick was found seriously injured in West Hoe Road on the evening of 22 January and died later in hospital.

Judge Robert Linford at Plymouth Crown Court told Butler it was “nothing less than sheer murderous brutality”.

Members of Ms Chick’s family, including her then-partner Paul Maxwell, watched as CCTV showed Butler’s movements in the hours before the attack, including the footage which showed her being stabbed by him at least 23 times.

The court heard victim impact statements from Ms Chick’s daughters Bethany Hancock-Baxter and Lydia Peers.

Bethany described Butler as an “evil man” and told him jealousy had got the better of him.

She said: “Let’s be honest, you must have thought if you can’t have her then no-one can.

“I live every day not as Bethany, I’m now the girl whose mother was killed by her husband.”

Lydia, Ms Chick’s youngest daughter, told the court Butler “didn’t love” her mum.

“Stabbing my mum 23 times is not love, that is murder,” she said.

“This was no accident, this was no mistake, you made sure she was gone and was never coming back.”

Lydia added: “At night I still have this dark cloud over me. I can’t be happy about things because my mum can’t be here to enjoy it too.

“This is a life sentence for myself.”

Mr Maxwell said: “I loved Claire, she was beautiful, funny and kind and made the world smile whenever she was around.

“She cared about everyone and was so proud of her family.”

He said he now lived in “constant fear” and felt “on edge” when he was alone or when it was night.

Plymouth Crown Court heard the murder followed months of harassment, stalking and violence from Butler.

Joanna Martin KC, prosecuting, said Ms Chick made six statements to the police about the defendant’s conduct and he had been arrested three times for assault, harassment and stalking.

She said Butler continued to stalk Ms Chick, despite being on bail and banned from going near her, and even put a tracking device on her car.

Assistant chief constable Glen Mayhew said Devon and Cornwall Police made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to its previous contact with Ms Chick.

“We are committed to fully co-operating with an ongoing independent investigation by the IOPC,” he added.

Police and crime commissioner Alison Hernandez said the brutal murder of Ms Chick was a “tragedy”.

“The statistics on violence against women and girls are truly shocking,” Ms Hernandez said.

“One-in-five women will be stalked in her lifetime, and one-in-four will experience domestic abuse. These are our mothers, daughters, sisters and friends.”

Judge Linford told Butler it was a “frenzied attack” which involved “sustained and excessive violence towards the victim”.