St Leonards killer jailed for life – he’ll spend a minimum 17 years behind bars

Earlier today St Leonards man Ian Paton was jailed for life for the murder of his girlfriend.

The 36-year-old sales rep from Snowdrop Rise, St Leonards-on-Sea, was convicted and sentenced at Hove Crown Court after a nine-day trial. He’d been charged with the murder of his partner Kayleigh Hanks, 29, at her flat in London Road, Bexhill, shortly after midnight on Sunday July 21st last year.

Paton strangled his partner after an argument, as their baby daughter slept in the same room.

Ian Paton has been jailed for life.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Wolstenholme of the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team said: “Paton claimed in court that he acted in self-defence during an argument with Kayleigh, who he said had come at him with a knife. Our investigation showed that his superficial injuries were self-inflicted.

“This was the tragic climax of a series of issues in their relationship in which each had accused the other of having affairs. This was made worse by Paton’s volatile personality and his tendency to react violently under pressure.

“For example, the court heard evidence of different incidents in which he grabbed two other women he knew but was not in a relationship with and a man, by the throat for several seconds at a time, causing them distress although no physical injury.

“This terrible crime has deprived a young woman of her life, has devastated her family, and has left a tiny child, aged just seven months and who was in the same room when her mother was killed by her father, without parents.”

Kayleigh Hanks who was murdered by her boyfriend Ian Paton last July.

Speaking on behalf of Kayleigh’s family, her sister Emma said: “Kayleigh was a kind, thoughtful loving person that would do anything for anyone.
She was an amazing mum, daughter, sister, auntie and friend. Living without her will be the hardest thing we will ever have to do; she will never be forgotten and will always be in our hearts.

“She wasn’t just a sister to me; she was my soul mate and best friend.

“Myself, my mum and our family would like to thank everyone who has had helped us through this difficult time, the support has been incredible. We would also like to thank all the Police Officers involved in this case because without them, we don’t know where we would be, they have all been amazing. But most of all we would like to thank our family liaison officers from the bottom of our hearts; they have helped us through this traumatic, horrible time in our lives and no amount of words would ever be enough in our eyes to repay them. They are a credit to Sussex Police and wonderful individuals.”

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https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/hastings-in-focus/the-hastings-podcast

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