‘Sadistic bully’ jailed for shooting his partner and child

A MAN who “sadistically tortured” his former partner before shooting her and their two-year-old daughter dead will spend the rest of his life in prison.

David Oakes, 50, went to Christine Chambers’ house in Braintree, Essex, last June, where he subjected her to “degrading assaults” before blasting her and their daughter Shania with a shotgun.

Yesterday at Chelmsford Crown Court a jury of seven men and six women found Oakes, of Canney Road, Steeple, Essex, guilty of two counts of murder after nearly nine hours of deliberation. Mr Justice Fulford ordered Oakes to serve a whole life sentence, meaning he will never be released from prison.

He said: “These tragic and needless deaths occurred in deeply shocking circumstances.

“A bullying and controlling man, who had frequently inflicted violence on Miss Chambers during the six years of their relationship, he killed his ex-partner and their young daughter simply because he knew she could not bear to be with him.”

Outside court Miss Chambers’ father, Ken Chambers, held back tears as he said: “I hope he rots in hell.”