The mother of a woman stabbed to death by her husband said no sentence will be enough for the "pain and fear he put her through in the final minutes of her life", as he was jailed for 23 years.
Police were called to Northside House, a derelict former mental health hospital at Thorpe St Andrew, at around 12.45pm on Friday, June 19 following reports that a woman, later identified as mother-of-three Gemma Cowey, had been found with serious injuries.
Emergency services attended the site, off Yarmouth Road, but despite treatment the 38-year-old died at the scene.
She had been stabbed more than 20 times by her former partner Michael Cowey, who had told her he wanted to meet to talk to her, but instead confronted her about relationship issues before taking two knives he had hidden in his socks and stabbing Gemma more than 20 times in her back and neck.
Cowey, 49, previously admitted her murder as well as possession of knives on Friday (December 11) and was jailed for 23 years.
Sentencing Cowey to life imprisonment, The Honourable Mr Justice Edis said the murder was an act of "great brutality" during which the victim was "clearly in terror".
He said: "This murder was your final act of excessive, abusive and coercive control over her."
He said he had subjected her to "a life of fear" and had used the children as "objects of coercion".
Cowey was described as a "violent, controlling, selfish bully" by Mr Justice Edis who insisted "you have always been that way and probably always will be".
He said: "That's why you killed Gemma, because she challenged your controlling behaviour and you couldn't stand that."
Gemma's mother, Linda Smith, 60, issued a statement, describing how the family have "nightmares about the pain and fear she went through in the final minutes of her life".
She said that although the sentence was as they expected, the family feel "no sentence will ever be enough for what the evil perpetrator did to our Gemma".
She said: "Gemma was stabbed more than 20 times in her neck and back by her estranged husband.
"We have nightmares about the pain and fear she went through in the final minutes of her life.
"On behalf of our family we wish to express our huge thanks and appreciation to everyone that tried to save our Gemma’s life. We can only imagine how utterly shocking it was to find Gemma and see such devastation to a young woman’s body."
She thanked Norvic clinic staff and members of the public who alerted emergency services after hearing her daughter's screams and raised the alarm as well as the emergency services.
She also thanked "those who bravely came forward to give statements and information regarding the perpetrators past crimes against women".
Miss Smith said she hoped a domestic homicide review taking place into the case would result in lessons being learned and would identify more services or training needed to be put in place to help save other women’s lives.
Stephen Spence, prosecuting, said she died following a "ferocious, murderous attack" at an isolated location which had been chosen by Cowey.
He said the victim, who had "little or no opportunity to get away" was initially stabbed in the back by Cowey.
She received a total of 22 stab wounds to the back and neck.
Mr Spence said the motive for the killing was jealousy, although he insisted there was no evidence the victim had been unfaithful.
He said Cowey had asked her to return home but when she refused he killed her.
The court heard workers at the site heard the screams of a woman coming from the mental health hospital site and went to investigate.
Cowey was in the building and appeared "calm".
He was asked what he was doing and told them he had been running. He was told it was private property and asked to leave, which he did so "calmly".
They then went into the site and found Gemma's body with "a number of stab wounds" and a knife near to her body. The court heard CPR was attempted until the emergency services arrived but she died at the scene.
In interview, Mr Spence said Cowey was to tell police he knew he "might" kill her when they went to the scene.
He told officers that in his head he was stating "I will kill you, I will kill you" prior to the attack. Mr Spence said there had been a "significant degree of premeditation".
He said Cowey had demonstrated controlling behaviour not only towards the victim, but also previous partners. Mr Spence said the victim had previously reported domestic violence by Cowey towards her to the police. She had previously been threatened with a knife by Cowey.
A Home Office post-mortem examination established she died as a result of hypovolemic shock and stab wounds to the neck and chest.
Clare Matthews, for Cowey, formerly of Dragoon Close, Thorpe St Andrew, said the defendant had made admissions at almost every stage of the process.
She said it was "unusual" for a case of such gravity.
Miss Matthews said he suffered from "poor mental health" throughout his life. She said Gemma had asked him to seek professional help and insisted it was a "source of regret" that he had not.
Miss Matthews added that he simply wished to say, through her, that he was sorry.
Speaking after the case, detective inspector Lewis Craske, said: "The murder of Gemma Cowey was a cowardly attack by a man who could no longer control his victim.
"The investigation into the circumstances of this killing, the relationship with not only Gemma but also past partners established that Cowey was a persistent domestic abuser who has devastated the lives of many women.
"This selfish act has seen a family torn to shreds. I hope that the sentence today brings some closure not only to Gemma’s family but also to those whose lives have been damaged by his actions."
A single bunch of flowers were left near to the former mental health hospital where Ms Cowey was found stabbed to death.
After Ms Cowey’s body was discovered the scene was sealed off as forensic officers in white suits searched the area, while a separate section of Northside, the road that leads to St Andrew’s Business Park and the former Archant print works, was cordoned off around a black bicycle that had been left at the roadside.
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