Chorley man who murdered his partner Fiona Robinson in 'violent and sustained assault' jailed

A depraved killer who murdered his girlfriend in a savage attack and then filmed her naked as she lay dying, must serve at least 20 years in prison, a judge has ruled.

Jason Gowen, from Chorley, was given a life sentence at Preston Crown Court on Wednesday (January 17) with Judge Robert Altham ordering he must stay behind bars until at least 2043 before being considered for parole.

The 28-year-old was said to have carried out a vicious and sustained assault on 37-year-old Fiona Robinson and then tried to cover up his guilt by pretending to do CPR on her lifeless body when emergency services arrived.

Gowen eventually pleaded guilty to her murder, which happened while he was on bail for another brutal case of domestic violence against a previous partner.

Judge Altham, the Honorary Recorder of Preston, said the assault on Ms Robinson had been "a sustained, brutal and ultimately deadly attack during which he sought to humiliate the victim, enjoying her pain and recording it."

He said the beating "must have caused her considerable suffering before she died." And about Gowen filming it on an iPad, he asked: "What other motive can there be than he was taking pleasure in her injuries and her humiliation."

The attack happened last May at the home Gowen was sharing with Ms Robinson in Congress Street, Chorley. She had told friends she had been trying to end the abusive 15-month relationship for weeks because of previous assaults by Gowen.

The court heard that her death could have happened hours before he eventually rang 999 saying his girlfriend had stopped breathing.

READ MORE: Fiona Robinson's heartbroken family speaks out as man jailed for life.

At first Gowen said he had been out drinking and had woken up around 2am to find her covered in bruises. As paramedics walked into the house he appeared to be attempting CPR, but once they examined her they realised she was already dead and had been for some time.

Stephen Wood KC, for the prosecution, said Gowen had previously been charged with two counts of assault against his former partner with whom he had had a "toxic" relationship.

That, said Mr Wood, had been "characterised by Gowen's physically abusive, manipulative, possessive and controlling behaviour, borne out of paranoia and jealousy."

Ms Robinson had told friends and work colleagues about assaults committed by Gowen on her and shown them photographs of her injuries.

On the night of the murder police searched the house and found a clump of hair on the step, which was confirmed to belong to Ms Robinson. Outside the house a bra was also found which appeared to have been forcibly removed.

A Home Office pathologist told the court that a post mortem showed extensive injuries, resulting from manual strangulation, suffocation and blunt chest and abdominal trauma.

She had seven fractured ribs on the left side and nine on the right. Some had been broken more than once. There were also bite marks on the body and multiple fractures of the lower spine.

Before sentencing Gowen, Judge Altham said it was not possible to say exactly when Ms Robinson had died. But he told the court that a video on an iPad timed at 10:30am the previous day had shown her on her knees naked.

Gowen could be heard "mocking her and seeking to humiliate her." The judge said: "It cannot be ascertained if she had already sustained the fatal blow."

The killer had left the house and was seen returning later on CCTV. But it was still some time before he made the 999 call.

"When the authorities arrived at the house she was already dead," said Judge Altham. "It is clear he had taken some time between murdering her and calling the emergency services. No doubt he was seeking to put together a lie."

Ordering Gowen to stand in the dock, the judge told him: "The only sentence I can impose is life imprisonment."

He said the starting point should be a minimum of 15 years, but his filming Ms Robinson's ordeal to humiliate her should be treated as an aggravating factor to increase that sentence.

He told Gowen he felt the correct starting point should be 22 years, with two years knocked off for his guilty plea.

He will have to serve a minimum of 20 years before he can apply to the Parole Board for release. He also sentenced him to 40 weeks for the two cases of assault against his former partner which will run concurrently.

Gowen, who had spent much of the sentencing hearing sitting with his head in his hands, was in tears as he was taken from the dock.

Tom Snape, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West said: “Jason Gowen clearly poses a significant risk to women.

"He brutally murdered a woman he was in a relationship with whilst awaiting sentence for offences against a previous partner."

 "Initially he denied he was responsible for murder and concocted various lies to evade prosecution, but when faced with the overwhelming evidence against him, including medical evidence, CCTV and footage he recorded himself, he eventually pleaded guilty.

"Our thoughts are with the family of Fiona Robinson and all those who have been affected by Gowen's violent actions."