Man Sentenced to Life for Murder After Partner Dies Two Years Post Attack

Leigh Pateman set Ellen Marshall on fire in 2021; her death in 2023 led to an upgraded murder conviction and a minimum 23-year sentence.

Leigh Pateman, 45, poured petrol on Ellen Marshall and set her alight during an argument in April 2021 at their home in Skegness, Lincolnshire.
Marshall, a mother of four, suffered 80% full-thickness burns, lost fingers, and endured years of debilitating injuries before succumbing to pneumonia in March 2023.
Pateman initially received a 17-year sentence for grievous bodily harm but pleaded guilty to murder after Marshall's death, leading to a life sentence with a 23-year minimum term.
Court testimony revealed Pateman had threatened to set Marshall on fire days before the attack, which he initially claimed was an accident.
Judge Simon Hirst described the attack as 'shocking and barbaric,' while Marshall's family shared the devastating impact of her suffering and loss.