Cambridgeshire Nigel Ebbage murder: Lance Woollard jailed

A grandfather who stabbed his daughter's ex-partner to death in a "frenzied" attack following a custody dispute has been jailed for life.

Lance Woolard stabbed 35-year-old Nigel Ebbage 21 times at the latter's home in Wimblington, Cambridgeshire on 29 April.

Woollard, 65, of Richmond Avenue in March, must serve at least 20 years.

The dead man's new partner Jody Hooper told the court the day she found his body "was the day my own life ended".

Woollard pleaded guilty to murder of 35-year-old Mr Ebbage at Cambridge Crown Court last month.

The court heard the killing followed a long-running custody battle over the two children Mr Ebbage had with Woollard's daughter, Helen.

Prosecutor Andrew Jackson said Woollard had left two knives "embedded in his body".

The couple's relationship ended in 2016 and the court heard the animosity was partly fuelled by an accusation of arson at Ms Woollard's house.

The court heard Mr Ebbage faced trial over the incident in 2018, but was acquitted.

Mr Jackson said Mr Ebbage and his new partner had won a number of family court cases giving them more access to his daughter, although they had been unable to see his son.

The prosecutor told the court that the Woollards had placed tracking and recording devices on the young girl.

On another occasion, the way in which Mr Ebbage had been picking up his daughter had had to be changed as Lance Woollard's presence had been putting pressure on the girl not to go with her father.

Mr Jackson said by the time of Mr Ebbage's murder, he had become hopeful of gaining shared custody of both children.

He was killed before a hearing to determine his application took place.

Mr Jackson said: "The defendant was no doubt angered at the acquittal for arson and increasingly angered at the contact with the children and the possibility that contact might be extended."

The court heard Woollard had travelled to Mr Ebbage's home after Ms Hooper left for work, attacking him when he answered the door.

Mr Jackson said Ms Hooper made the "grim discovery" of his body when she returned for lunch.

The court heard that during the attack Woollard had accidentally cut off his own finger tip, which was found at the scene.

Following the murder, he had tried to dispose of his bloody shoes in a charity bin at Morrison's in Wisbech and bought food at a fish and chip shop.

Ms Hooper said she and "soul mate" Mr Ebbage had planned to be married and she had "lost everything".

In a victim impact statement, she said: "The horror I saw will never leave me."

Claire Matthews, defending Woollard, said he had no previous convictions and was of otherwise good character.

Sentencing him Judge David Farrell said Woollard had a "entrenched animosity" towards Mr Ebbage.

"There is no remorse here for what you did," he said.

Det Insp Dale Mepstead, of Cambridgeshire Police, said the attack had been "frenzied" and Mr Ebbage's death had had "a devastating effect on those who knew and loved him".

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