Braintree: Man Jailed For Double Murder

11 May 2012, 13:18 | Updated: 11 May 2012, 14:48

David Oakes has been told he will never be released from prison for the murder of his ex-partner and their daughter.

50-year-old David Oakes went to Christine Chambers' house where he subjected her to "degrading assaults'' before blasting her and their daughter Shania with a shotgun.

Summing up the case, Mr Justice Fulford described the attack as a "frenzy of uncontrolled violence''. He has been sentenced to two whole life terms and told he will never be released from prison.

Today (Friday May 11th) at Chelmsford Crown Court a jury of seven men and six women found Oakes guilty of two counts of murder after nearly nine hours of deliberation.

Oakes, of Canney Road, Steeple, was absent for large parts of the trial and was not in court to hear the verdict.

The trial heard he had a history of attacking Miss Chambers, 38, and the pair were involved in a custody dispute at the time of the shooting in June last year.

Senior Investigating Officer, Det Chief Insp Godfrey O?Toole said: "On the night that David Oakes went to the home of Christine Chambers armed with a shotgun, he had only one thing in his mind, to inflict as much fear, pain and suffering on Christine and her family as possible.

"His acts of violence were brutal, torturous and inflicted over a long period of time, at the end of which he cold bloodily shot and murdered Christine and Shania. 

"Not content with what he had done, he later sought to excuse himself of his murderous acts and blame Christine for the death of her beloved daughter.

"The accusation was a vile and repulsive attempt to escape justice, by a contemptible individual. 

"I cannot begin to express the level of my appreciation and respect for Jean and Ken Chambers and their family for the support they have given throughout this investigation. The courage they have shown has been immense.

"The memories of Christine and Shania will never fade for the family left behind, and whilst nothing can ever make up for the loss of their loved ones, I sincerely hope that the outcome of the trial will provide them with a degree of closure.”

Members of Miss Chambers' family said in a statement: "The events of the early hours of Monday, June 6th, will live with our family for the rest of our lives.

"To lose a loved one in death is heart breaking, to lose a daughter and granddaughter in the way in which David Oakes brutally tortured Christine and then murdered her and Shania is emotionally beyond description and belief.

"Only time can ease our pain, but nothing, or no one, can ever replace what has been ripped from the lives our family; our loving memories of Christine and Shania will never fade, they will be cherished and live on in our hearts forever. 

"We are a family who speak our minds, so with David Oakes we will be no different. It is our sincerest hope that he suffers in some way every day of what is left of his hateful miserable life."