by Ross Lidbetter

ross.lidbetter@essnmedia.co.uk

The former boyfriend of Cassandra McDermott who admitted killing the teenager seven years after her death has been jailed for life.

The 19-year-old was found dead at the family home in Granville Gardens, Norbury, on October 26, 2001.

She had been savagely beaten up and left to drown in her own vomit.

Mario Celaire of Sydenham Road, Lewisham, was found not guilty at the Old Bailey in 2002 of her murder and manslaughter.

But he admitted a charge of manslaughter at the Old Bailey in May.

Celaire, 31, was also sentenced for the attempted murder of Kara Hoyte, now 21, in Walthamstow in 2007.

He was sentenced at the Old Bailey today (Friday) in a court room where Cassandra's mum Jennifer sat, along with daughters Andrea and Sophia.

Celaire was sentenced to a minimum of eight years for Cassandra's death and a minimum of 23 years for the attempted murder of Kara, to run concurrently.

Her mother Jennifer read a statement to the court:

"Words cannot express how much I still miss Cassandra. Her dad says very little now, but he still visits her grave every Sunday. He takes her flowers.

"Only recently have I stopped looking out for her from my bedroom window. I still ask myself questions as to why ? Why did he kill her, and for what reason?

This statement is largely reflective of my views it does not account for the loving feelings held by Sophia and Andrea who have lost a loving sister or their children, my grand-children who have lost an aunt.

"The loss experienced by our family cannot be qualified by words or statements, their loss is shown by the feelings, memories and love that they had and still have for Cassandra.

"All I have are my memories of Cassandra they are good memories but they remain memories, nothing will bring her back, nothing will bring back the moments that we had together, I will never see her grow up, get married or start a family her life was ripped from my world and the rest of family in a vicious and savage attack where she was left to die, left on her own in pain to die."

There were cheers from the public gallery as the sentence was announced but Celaire showed no emotion.

Judge Paul Worsley said: “I have read the moving victim impact statement from both families. In the case of Cassandra’s family, they no longer have the joy of seeing her progress through life. In the case of Kara her family have the heartache of a life forever changed.”

He described both as being attacked in a sudden explosion of violence.

The chain of events that lead to Celaire's conviction six years and six months after he was initially found not guilty of killing Cassandra's death began when Kara started to make her recovery from the injuries inflicted by Celaire.

It was thought she would die as a result of her injuries, but despite suffering paralysis down one side of her body and extreme difficulties communicating with people, nine months after the attack she was able to speak to detectives for the first time.

Celaire had already been charged with her attempted murder, but during the course of the interviews she was able to tell officers she had found court papers relating to Celaire's 2002 trial.

When she confronted him he confessed to her that he had killed Cassandra McDermott, but had not meant to.

Outside court, her mother said:“We owe everything to Kara and her strength and determination to see justice. If it wasn’t for Kara we wouldn’t be here today.

“The sentence of 23 years is still a good sentence. We were looking for more but I think we can live with this.

Referring to Mario's jail sentence, she said: “He should have been there in 2002. It didn’t happen. He was acquitted and he committed another atrocity and therefore Mario must remain in prison for the rest of his life.”

A charity, the Cassandra Learning Centre, has been set up by the McDermott family to raise awareness of domestic abuse. Outside court, they unveiled a banner which said “If it hurts, it isn’t love, say to domestic abuse. Stop violence against women and girls."