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'He should stay in jail for the rest of his life'
THE parents of a woman stabbed to death by her jealous partner say he should never be released from prison.
In the weeks leading up to her murder, Joanne Wilson was punched, kicked and even locked in her room by obsessive Robert Davis.
Then, when he thought she might leave him for another man, the killer twice plunged a five-inch knife into her chest.
Davis, 43, of Lovage Way, Horndean, has been jailed for life after a jury yesterday found him guilty of murder.
He will serve at least 15 years behind bars, but Joanne's parents, John and Pauline Saunders, say he should never be freed.
Mr Saunders, 75, of Bellevue Lane, Emsworth, said: 'I don't think he ever will be fit to be let loose. People do not change at that age.
'If he comes out of prison and starts another relationship it's very likely that he will reach a stage, if they don't pamper to every wish of his, that he will start abusing them again.
'If I had my way life would be life and he would remain in prison for the rest of his life.'
Mum-of-two Joanne, a night manager at Tesco in Petersfield, had kept much of the domestic violence hidden from her parents.
The couple say they last saw their daughter on May 19, 2006 – the day before she was murdered.
On that occasion, she showed them bruises caused by Davis's beatings.
Mr Saunders said it made him cry to think what she had gone through on a daily basis.
'Since May 20 life has been like a nightmare from which we hope to wake up,' he said.
'It is hard to understand the circumstances of her death at the hands of someone who was supposed to love her.
'Never again will she burst through our door filling the room with her laughter and bubbly personality.'
Joanne's sons Kane, 17, whom she had from a previous marriage, and Jake, 12, had their world 'ripped from under them' after her murder.
'They were her life,' said Mr Saunders.
'Everything Joanne did was for them. She was like a lioness with her cubs. She always wanted the best for them and in this she never failed.'
Kane has now gone to live with his father and Jake is living with Davis's brother, Garry.
Mr Saunders said they had both gone to 'loving homes' but added: 'At the end of the day their hearts are broken.
'They miss each other and they miss their mum.
'The last 10 months since her death have been a harrowing ordeal for her two boys, all the rest of her family and our friends.
'But at least justice has been served.'
Mum Pauline Saunders, 66, has now pleaded with other victims of domestic abuse not to remain in silence.
'I would say to any other woman in the same situation "Get out while you can."
'They hang on thinking things will improve. If only I had known more, we might have stepped in more quickly and insisted she come home.'
Davis had admitted killing Joanne but denied it was murder on the grounds of provocation.
However the jury at Winchester Crown Court refused to believe his lies and after just a few hours deliberation, found him guilty of her murder.
Detective constable Dave Wilson, who led the investigation, agreed it would be a risk to let Davis out again after 15 years.
‘Does a leopard change his spots? I’m not sure he will,’ he said.
‘I’m extremely pleased with the verdict. The right decision was made.’
jenny.haworth
@thenews.co.uk
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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