He claimed to have panicked after attacking “on-off” partner Kerri McAuley but Joe Storey is a cold, self-centred and callous killer who knew exactly what he was capable of – and what the fatal consequences would be.

Joe Storey. Photo: Norfolk Constabulary

Ridiculous is the only way to describe Storey’s protestation that he did not intend to kill Ms McAuley.

Since they met on Facebook, some 18 months before Ms McAuley’s death, Storey had subjected his tragic partner to a string of assaults as he had other women before her who had the misfortune to have become involved with him.

A disturbing mix of drink and drugs coupled with an insane jealously combined to create a Hulk-like monster of a man who used his fists to resolve any problems he encountered in the relationship.

On previous occasions Storey, who has ruthless tattooed on one hand, had attacked Ms McAuley.

The results of his brutal actions were there for all to see after Ms McAuley posted pictures of her badly beaten face on social media.

He knew exactly what affect his brutality had on this slight young woman who was just 5ft 6ins tall and weighed just eight and a half stone.

But despite these earlier warnings and his insistence that he was change his ways, he continued to do exactly as he had before and attack Ms McAuley.

She never stood a chance. Storey ensured that.

As well as breaking her face he also broke her phone ensuring she could not get help.

Storey also made no effort to summon help for Ms McAuley who was literally left for dead by the defendant who, after taking a picture of his face covered in his partner’s blood, sought refuge at a friend’s house where he drink alcohol and tried to score drugs.

He even returned to the scene a few hours later when he again refused to help Ms McAuley or report what had happened, instead allowing her mother and brother to make the horrific discovery.

He has continued to taunt and torment Ms McAuley’s family throughout the court process, from the moment he smiled at them during his first appearance at Norwich Magistrates to his non-appearance at Norwich Crown Court yesterday on the day he was due to be sentenced.

Like Ms McAuley they too are victims of this callous, arrogant, heartless and ultimately cowardly killer.

EDP24

Joe Storey. Photo: Norfolk Constabulary

Joe Storey will serve a minimum of 24 years in jail after being found guilty of murdering his former partner Kerri McAuley following a “sustained and brutal” attack in her Norwich home.

The body of the 32-year-old was found at Southalls Way, Norwich, on Sunday, January 8.

Norwich Crown Court heard the mother-of-two suffered 19 separate injuries to her face, including fractured eye sockets, cheek bones and jaw following a sustained attack.

Her on-off partner Storey, 27, formerly of Murrells Court,Norwich, had gone on trial after having denied murder although he had admitted manslaughter.

But Storey was today given a life sentence with a minimum term of 24 years before he is considered eligible for parole after a jury of seven men and five women had taken an hour to find him guilty of murder.

Jailing Storey Judge Stephen Holt described it as “one of the worst cases of domestic violence that have come before these courts”.

Simon Spence QC, prosecuting, said Storey had shown a “history of violence” towards Ms McAuley as well as “other women he has been in a relationship with”.

The court heard Storey had been the subject of four restraining orders against previous partners, including Ms McAuley.

Kerrie McAuley’s injuries. Picture: Facebook

Storey had been the subject of an order preventing him from contacting Ms McAuley in October last year – less than three months before her death.

Storey, who has four previous convictions covering 11 offences, had been jailed for offences against previous partners.

He was jailed for four years in 2011 for two offences of assault occasioning actual bodily harm against two previous partners including one who was thought to be pregnant, who he repeatedly kicked and punched in the stomach stating he “hoped he had killed the unborn baby”.

The court also heard of another conviction for wounding on another previous partner who had a knife held to her throat by Storey during an argument in which she was also punched to the head and headbutted.

Mr Spence said the degree of violence used by Storey against Ms McAuley could be seen to be “sadistic”.

Other aggravating features to the case include Storey’s non appearance on Friday which Mr Spence said added to the “grief and stress” being suffered by Ms McAuley’s family which he said would have been part of Storey’s “motivation”.

As previously reported Storey had originally been due to be sentenced on Friday but failed to appear for the hearing after he told prison officials at HMP Bedford that he need not attend.

Andrew Oliver, for Storey, said while it had to be accepted Storey “failed to obtain assistance” for Ms McAuley he insisted the attack had not been pre-meditated.

He also said that Storey, who had admitted manslaughter, had acknowledged causing her death if not the intention to inflict her really serious harm.

A two-week trial had heard how Ms McAuley had been out in Norwich with Storey on the evening of Saturday, January 7.

At approximately 10.40pm on the following day (Sunday, January 8), officers were alerted by ambulance crews to reports of a woman who had been found dead in Southalls Way.

A post mortem examination revealed Ms McAuley had been the subject of a severe blunt force trauma to the face consistent with a serious violent assault. Speaking after the case Ms McAuley’s mother Lesley which stated: “My life will never now be whole without Kerri to complete it, as a family we are forever broken. My heart bears the deepest break from which it will never heal.”

Eastern Daily Press