Kirstie Ellis: Man jailed for life over murder of woman, 35

A man has been jailed for life over the murder of a woman whose body was found at her home eight weeks after she was killed.

Kirstie Ellis, 35, was discovered by police in Stanhall Mews, Stanningley, West Yorkshire, on 25 March.

Tony Brooks, 36, of Agbrigg Road, Wakefield, who had previously been in a relationship with Ms Ellis, pleaded guilty to murder.

Brooks was sentenced to life in prison at Leeds Crown Court on Thursday.

Ms Ellis' parents Vicky and John said in a statement after the sentencing that their daughter was a "beacon of light" and they had been through a "living nightmare".

Ms Ellis' body was found by officers after Brooks was arrested on suspicion of a burglary in Wakefield earlier in March, according to West Yorkshire Police.

After Brooks was interviewed about the burglary, he told police he knew about a murder committed by a drug dealer and said there was a body at an address in Leeds.

When officers forced entry into the house in Stanhall Mews they found Ms Ellis' body in the bath hidden under a blanket.

Ms Ellis and Brooks had been in a relationship for several months. A post-mortem examination found that she had been strangled.

Police believe she was killed at the address on 1 February.

Brooks had begun a relationship with Ms Ellis in December 2021, according to the force, and he was forensically linked to the scene of the crime.

Officers also found he had sold a number of her possessions, that had been taken from her home following her death.

Ms Ellis' bank card and PIN were also found during a search of the address Brooks had been staying at in Castleford.

A family statement said Ms Ellis was "a beacon of light to all those who were fortunate enough to have known her and who wanted to raise the awareness of domestic abuse after suffering through it herself".

They said: "We remember Kirstie as a vibrant soul, Kirstie loved a drink, to dance and sing the night away.

"Kirstie's light will now forever shine bright in our family, among our friends and in all those who knew Kirstie's happiness. She will always be remembered for her sense of fun and joy, which has guided us through these troubling times."

Brooks was jailed for life with a minimum term of 24 years and nine months.

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