Life sentence for Kettering murderer Pawel Chmielecki who stabbed ex 32 times

A murderer who stabbed his ex 32 times before leaving her body in a blood-soaked duvet has been jailed for life.

Pawel Chmielecki was jailed for a minimum of 18 years and four months after killing Marta Chmielecka at his Wood Street home in Kettering in 2021.

The 40-year-old showed no emotion as His Honour Judge David Herbert KC passed down the sentence at Northampton Crown Court.

Marta’s family Iistened in the public galleryas they heard the judge sentence Chmielecki, who wore a grey Nike tracksuit and gold chain in the dock, via a Polish interpreter.

Marta, 31, and Chmielecki married in Poland and moved to the UK in 2017. Chmielecki subjected Marta to domestic abuse and was controlling when they were married before she ended their abusive relationship.

She was starting to enjoy life again and was coming out of her shell before her jealous ex-husband fatally attacked her.

The court heard the killer took her to his house and attacked her after confronting her about messages on her phone.

He stabbed Marta with a knife used to cut up his pizza and left wounds to her hand, shoulder, arms, breast, face and neck. Her body was left in a blood-soaked duvet for four days.

Judge Herbert KC said: “The final moments of Marta’s life would have been terrifying.”

Police had received a missing person report from a family member who had not heard from much-loved Marta and had received a text message that read like it wasn't from her. Officers went to Chmielecki's home on October 19 and forced entry. He had left suicide notes in Polish and tried to take his own life.

He was taken to hospital with serious injuries but survived and eventually pleaded guilty to murder.

Having already spent 682 days in custody on remand he will spend at least another 16 years and 170 days in prison before he can be considered for parole.

More to follow.