Ash Murder – Woman Found Guilty And Sentenced To A Minimum 17 Years

Published on: 31 Oct, 2012
Updated on: 31 Oct, 2012

Maxine Oliver – guilty of murder – showed no remorse

By Maria Rayner

An Ash woman has been sentenced to a minimum of 17 years after being found guilty of murdering her partner at Guildford Crown Court yesterday.

Maxine Oliver, 44, of Shawfield Road, Ash killed Karl Jones, 37, on 2 March 2012 in what Detective Chief Inspector Claire Pridgeon of Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team described as a “brutal attack”.

DCI Pridgeon said: “This was a brutal attack for which Maxine Oliver has never revealed a motive or shown any remorse. The couple were known to have a volatile relationship and the length of the sentence handed down is in part due to the vulnerabilities of the victim who sustained horrific fatal injuries in this last violent attack. Today’s result reflects Surrey Police’s commitment to bringing offenders of domestic abuse to justice.”

Shawfield Road in Ash

Laura Witten, prosecuting, said: “A jury has today found Maxine Oliver guilty of the murder of Karl James. The victim died as a consequence of a violent and aggressive attack carried out by the defendant during a fit of anger in the home they shared.

“The jurors were in no doubt that the intention was to kill Mr Jones and therefore have convicted the defendant of this brutal crime.”

At the end of the trial members of Maxine Oliver’s family are reported to have shouted abusive comments at members of the victim’s family and the case has not been without other controversy.

A police scenes of crime officer, Richard Phillips, was dismissed for not following proper procedures; the court heard that he stepped in blood on the floor of the house but did not change his overshoes. There were other procedures that were not followed correctly to do with the processing of evidence, the court also heard.

But Surrey Police are adamant that all reports of domestic abuse will be taken seriously.

“Surrey Police will not tolerate any form of domestic abuse and has specially trained officers who deal with domestic abuse survivors in a sensitive and supportive way.

“All offences are treated seriously and it is important that anyone currently suffering at the hands of an abusive partner realises there is confidential help out there,” a spokesman said.

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