Woman murdered by obsessed neighbour who bit off parts of her face is jailed for life

A murderer obsessed with his neighbour, who bit off parts of her face and sexually abused her before beating her to death, has been jailed for life.

Rawden Ibbitson, 32, spent more than an hour viciously attacking and strangling Jennifer Andrews, 35, after becoming infatuated with her.

He inflicted more than 90 injuries, including multiple fractures, a bleed to the brain and internal injuries in the attack last June, Leeds Crown Court heard.

He was jailed for a minimum of 29 years earlier this month, but Jennifer can now be named after reporting restrictions imposed by the court were lifted.

In a statement at the time of her death, her family said: ‘Jenni was such a beautiful and friendly person who was very much loved by us all, she was an excellent mother.

The Leeds home of Rawden Ibbitson, 32, where the murderer became fixated on his neighbour

‘We are absolutely heartbroken and ask that people respect our privacy at what continues to be a very difficult time for ourselves and all those who knew and loved Jenni.’

Ibbitson, who lived opposite Jennifer, bombarded her with text messages as he wanted a relationship with her, the court was told.

She confided in friends, telling them she was frightened of him and said to one that ‘she was living in a nightmare’.

He had previously threatened to pull her teeth out with pliers, and warned her to ‘sleep with one eye open’.

Jennifer Andrews was bombarded her with text messages as Ibbitson wanted a relationship

Her body was discovered shortly before midnight on June 6 last year, and was ‘virtually unrecognisable’, the court heard.

She was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead at 12.45am.

Jennifer died from multiple blunt force trauma and suffered extensive abrasions to her head, neck and body, a fractured jaw and bruising to her head with a bleed to the brain.

There were 13 bite marks on her face, breasts, abdomen, back, forearms and thigh, a fractured rib, bleeding around her heart, bleeding in her stomach and internal injuries, the court heard.

Ibbitson admitted her murder and assault by penetration at an earlier hearing and was jailed.

He had previously been diagnosed with mixed personality disorder, made worse by his use of alcohol and drugs.

Judge Tom Bayliss KC described his actions as demonstrating ‘unspeakable cruelty’.

He said: ‘The level of sustained violence and the nature and extent of the injuries inflicted upon your victim drive the conclusion that, even if you may not have had such an intention when this assault began, you must have formed an intention to kill as the assault progressed.’