Jade Marsh: Russell Marsh jailed for estranged wife's murder

A man who murdered his estranged wife while their four children slept has been jailed for at least 25 years.

Jade Marsh, also know as Jade Ward, was stabbed and strangled by Russell Marsh in Shotton, Flintshire, in August 2021.

Marsh attacked her the week after Ms Marsh had left him. Her body was found under a pile of clothes in a bedroom.

Marsh, 29, admitted manslaughter but was convicted of murder at Mold Crown Court and was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 25 years.

Judge Rhys Rowlands said it was "a savage and merciless attack".

He said Marsh had been "consumed with self-pity and jealously" when he went to Ms Marsh's home and carried out a "prolonged and cruel" attack while the couple's four children slept nearby.

Marsh had been "controlling and possessive", he said, and had told friends that if he could not have Jade then nobody could.

"Tragically, it transpired to be the truth," said judge Rowlands.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Ms Marsh's brother Kyle Robinson described her as "kind, beautiful, funny, caring".

"Jade always saw the good in people but sadly her good heart and ability to forgive led to her death," he said.

Addressing her murderer, his statement added: "He's given her sons... the burden of having to carry around this crime for the rest of their lives."

Judge Rowlands said the way Ms Marsh's family had dealt with the experience had been "remarkable".

Someone shouted "rot in hell" as Marsh was led to the cells. He showed no emotion as his sentence was handed down.

Following the sentencing, Jade's family described her and "kind and caring" and "the sunshine in our lives, the glue that held us all together".

Her mother Karen Robinson, speaking outside court, said the family's world had been torn apart by Ms Marsh's death.

"There are no words that can explain how broken we all are," she said.

"Above everything else she was an amazing mum to her four boys.

"She loved them with everything she had and we see so much of Jade in her boys on a daily basis."

The family also thanked Ms Marsh's friends and colleagues for their support, as well as the police officers who help secure Marsh's conviction.

North Wales Police's Det Insp Myfanwy Kirkwood said she hoped the outcome would bring a small sense of peace to Jade's family.

"They have shown immense strength and courage throughout," she added.

The court heard earlier that Marsh would phone Ms Marsh constantly and would insult her in front of others.

Marsh claimed he had gone to Ms Marsh's house hours before her death, but said she had picked up a knife, cutting and injuring herself.

Ms Marsh had been repeatedly stabbed and slashed to the face and body before being strangled. She died of asphyxiation.

The attack happened after Marsh "fabricated" an excuse to leave his night job early on 26 August, and drove to the house in Chevrons Road, Shotton, where he attacked her - one week after she ended their relationship.

Her body was found on the bed, covered with a pile of clothes and a blanket.

The bedroom door had been secured with a dressing gown cord.

Marsh drove their children to his parents' house in nearby Saughall, Cheshire, and handed himself into police later that day, telling officers he had done "something bad" to his wife.

Yasmin Khan, advisor to the Welsh government on Violence against Women said the sentencing sent the right kind of message to any perpetrators.

"For far too long it's been the case that the sentences don't match the crime. It's got to be life sentence because it was brutal offence,

"These offences must not be tolerated and the sentence will surely be a deterrent for other offenders" she said.