‘Daddy loves you’: dad leaves note for kids after killing their mum

A father-of-two has been jailed for life after he murdered his wife then left a note for his kids saying ‘daddy loves you’.

George Worgan admitted strangling his wife at home. Picture: TSPL

George Worgan, 35, admitted strangling Kelly Worgan, 33, with a ligature at their house.

He then left a note on the stairs asking for the children be stopped from going into the room where Kelly’s body lay dead - adding: “Daddy loves you.”

Worgan, of Avonmouth, Bristol, then headed northward in the family car having packed only a handful of clothes, a large knife and Kelly’s phone and bank cards.

It is not known where he was heading at the time after the killing on November 28, 2018.

Police were eventually able to stop him around 300 miles away on the M6 near Cumbria.

He had sped off refusing to pull over when police tried stop him, leading to a police chase and a stinger being deployed which successfully punctured his tyre.

When they caught up to him officers said the defendant could barely keep his eyes open and was clearly in no fit state to drive.

Worgan admitted to the officers he had taken a number of antidepressants and paracetamol pills.

He was arrested and charged with Kelly’s murder and dangerous driving having put officers in significant danger due to his attempt to evade police.

When questioned by police, Worgan made no comment.

The attack on Kelly was described during the hearing at Bristol Crown Court as being non-premeditated.

There was no known history of domestic violence in the relationship nor did Worgan have a violent history or any previous convictions.

Just hours before the murder took place Kelly and her husband had watched one of their children in a school assembly and then gone shopping before going home, where she was killed.

His Honour Judge Blair QC said: “I feel it is important to state publicly that there was nothing on earth that could have alerted those who knew Kelly that such an awful crime was about to be committed, they have no reason to blame themselves.”

At the time of Kelly’s death, the couple were experiencing extreme financial difficulties and problems between Kelly and members of the defendant’s family.

It is believed the couple were arguing about these issues before Kelly died. Worgan wrote in the note he left: “No more suffering, I am sorry I got pushed too far this time.”

Both Worgan’s defence counsel Mr Richard Smith QC and Judge Blair said none of the mitigating factors mentioned in the case explained or mitigated the violent outburst that caused Kelly’s death.

Crown prosecutor Kate Brenner QC described Kelly as a “bubbly person and devoted mother” going on to explain the huge impact Kelly’s murder has had on her family, in particular her two young children.

Ms Brenner read the victim impact statements written by Kelly’s loved ones, in which her parents Glynnis and Paul Holder described the moment they were told as like being plunged into a “nightmare”.

Explaining how they were then taken by police to Cheltenham where they had to break the news to their youngest daughter, Hannah, Mrs Holder said: “How do you tell your daughter her sibling is dead?

“Two days after the children came to stay with us and they have remained with us ever since. We had to tell them their mummy had died.

“Now neither of the children want to sleep in their own bed and ask to go to her grave so they can talk to her.

“The biggest question we have is why? We trusted him and treated him as a son and as a part of our family. We now struggle with the concept of who we can trust.”

Kelly’s sister Hannah Holder said Kelly, who was nine years older than her, had been like her second mother.

She said: “Since Kelly’s death I have been in emotional turmoil and I questioned whether I could carry on with my studies. But, my dad reminded me of how proud Kelly was that I was doing a degree and that has made me keep going.

“We had to tell the children what had happened and they could not understand why we were all crying.

“He didn’t just take Kelly’s life, he took a part of me with her,” she added.

In his defence, Mr Smith drew attention to the couple’s relationship which, it was agreed, was a mostly loving one which had become strained. During the hearing it was revealed Kelly had sent private messages to family and friends saying she had “had enough” and did not know if they were in a relationship anymore.

In other messages, including those from Worgan to his wife, it was clear they were still a couple.

Mr Smith said: “What he did was utterly out of character for him and completely out of character for the relationship between the two.

“The evidence doesn’t speak to the culmination of a violent relationship, there’s simply nothing of that in the background to this case.”

Mr Smith added the defendant claims he has no recollection of the murder itself and has since behaved without emotion, unable to properly communicate.

During the hearing, Worgan spoke only to confirm his name and sat in silence throughout wearing a striped cream and brown jumper over a white shirt.

He was told to stand as he was handed his sentence by Judge Blair who imprisoned him for life, ordering he serve a minimum of 12 and a half years in jail before he can be considered eligible for parole.

“You both had taken your children to school, as was normal, and watched your son in an assembly. Afterwards you went shopping and that was the last time Kelly was seen alive,” said Judge Blair.

“A matter of hours later, in your front room, you strangled your wife to death with a ligature. Despite her efforts to break free she was not strong enough. At that time, I believe you intended to kill her.

“I have read a note from you in which you said you feel angry towards yourself, you wish you could turn the clock back. It tackles your remorse but doesn’t provide an answer as to why you did what you did.”

The judge took into account the fact the murder was not premeditated and the defendant had expressed remorse as well as pleading guilty at the first opportunity, however said he did not have sufficient evidence to properly consider the financial issues the couple were having as a mitigating factor.

“The aggravating factors are that she was killed in her own home, a place she had a right to believe she was safe and the fact you attempted to evade arrest.”

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