Michael Thompson jailed for murdering ex-wife Kimberly
Michael Thompson was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his estranged wife Kimberly, following years of domestic abuse. He was also convicted of rape and attempting to stage her suicide.
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Michael Thompson jailed for life for murder of ex-wife Kimberly
Michael Thompson, 56, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 33 years for the rape and murder of his estranged wife, Kimberly Thompson. The sentencing took place at Nottingham Crown Court on [date not specified in transcripts]. Thompson, who had subjected his wife to two decades of domestic abuse, coercive control and physical violence, was also convicted of attempting to stage her death as a suicide.
The couple had been married for 19 years and had two children. They were in the process of divorcing at the time of the murder last August. Thompson killed Kimberly in the home they still shared in Northampton. He raped and suffocated her, then carefully arranged the scene to make it look as though she had taken her own life. He called 999 and feigned distress, even lying to his own children and the police that he had found her unresponsive.
Throughout the six-week trial, Thompson showed no remorse, often shaking his head in the dock while evidence was heard. He refused to attend court for sentencing. The judge described his absence as an act of cowardice and contempt, noting that new powers to compel defendants to attend do not come into force until October.
In a powerful victim impact statement read to the court, the couple's daughter, Athena, spoke from the United States where she is studying. She called her father evil and selfish, saying: "The day you killed my mother, you killed me too. I feel I will never be happy again. I have no respect for you. I have no love for you. You were meant to be my dad. How could you do this to your daughter?"
Speaking outside court, the police officer who led the investigation paid tribute to Kimberly's family and friends for their dignity and grace throughout the investigation and trial. He described the level of abuse Kimberly suffered over two decades as horrific.
Kimberly had left a message on a friend's phone anticipating trouble, saying: "Why do I care what he's happy with? So, obviously, things are going to get messy, I suppose, because he's going to flip his f lid when he gets a little letter from my solicitor."
The judge ordered that Thompson be given copies of the moving statements made in court about the wife he murdered.
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Channel Perspectives
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ITV1 focused on the judge's comments about Thompson's refusal to attend court, calling it an act of cowardice and contempt. The report also highlighted the daughter's statement and the police officer's tribute, with a strong emphasis on the staged suicide and the lack of remorse shown by Thompson.
- “The judge describing that as an act of cowardice and contempt”
- “She told the court about her evil and Selfish dad who'd shattered her world”
- “The level of abuse that Kim was subjected to over two decades was horrific”
5 News emphasised the daughter's emotional statement and the audio message from Kimberly predicting trouble. The report used strong language ('evil and calculated') and highlighted Thompson's lies and lack of remorse, including his refusal to attend court. It also included a helpline for domestic abuse victims.
- “Evil and calculated. This is the man who subjected his wife to unimaginable terror over 20 years.”
- “The day you killed my mother, you killed me too.”
- “The level of abuse that Kim was subjected to over two decades was horrific”
Broadcast Timeline
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