A man has been jailed after murdering his partner who died 13 years after he brutally attacked her.
Trevor Baker, 53, of HMP Warren Hill, appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday (May 31) where he was sentenced to serve a minimum of 20 years' imprisonment for Carolyn Kemp's murder.
This will be less the time served since his sentencing for attempted murder in 2010, meaning that Baker will serve a further five years and eight months in prison.
Mum-of-two Carolyn was 34 when Baker attacked her in Walmer Close, Romford, on November 25 2009.
Carolyn had left Baker six months before when their relationship deteriorated but Baker, enraged and unable to accept the relationship was over, launched a ferocious attack that left Carolyn a quadriplegic with an irreparable brain injury.
She died in September 2022 after suffering aspiration pneumonia.
A post-mortem two days later at Queen's Hospital, Romford, found a causal link between the brain trauma she suffered and her death.
Specialist pathologists concluded that if Carolyn had not suffered the traumatic brain injuries in 2009, she would have survived the aspiration pneumonia - this being the causal link between the injuries inflicted by Baker and Carolyn’s death.
Baker was charged with murder on December 5 and pleaded guilty when he appeared at the Old Bailey on March 22.
Speaking on behalf of the family Carolyn's mother said: "My beautiful daughter Carolyn was the sweetest little girl any mother could have. Growing up she always had a smile on her face, which made you smile and all those around her.
"Following the births of her two children she blossomed into a wonderful young mother. There was nothing she would not do for them, she loved being their mum so very much.
"That opportunity to love and nurture them was taken away from her and from her children."
She said it felt like losing her daughter a second time when she died.
"We as a family will never get over what happened to Carolyn. She never deserved to go through such an awful ordeal which consequently spanned a further almost 13 years of pain and suffering before her death.
“Trevor Baker, will never know how much he put my family through. His actions ruined the lives of two innocent children for evermore.
"Following today’s sentencing he will serve a further five years and eight months in prison. It will never be enough."
"Despite the years that have passed we still believe that Trevor Baker is a violent individual and a continued danger to women. I hope that with this conviction and sentence it serves to protect other women in the future."
Detective Chief Inspector Kelly Allen, of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: “Carolyn suffered extreme violence at the hands of Trevor Baker - violence that ultimately resulted in her death following more than a decade of suffering.
“It is right that he be held accountable for the devastation his actions caused, not only to Carolyn, but to her family and friends who loved her.
“I am pleased that due to the guilty plea, Carolyn’s loved ones will now be spared the further distress of going through a trial and reliving the details of what was a horrific attack. My thoughts are with them.“
If you're a victim of domestic abuse, or know someone who is, and there's an emergency happening now dial 999.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here