Violent wife who brutally stabbed husband to death in Yorkshire will serve at least 16 years in jail

Lisa Ellwood had returned from a night out celebrating her 40th birthday with husband Ryan when they became embroiled in an argument, and plunged the knife into his chest in the kitchen of their Agbrigg home.

Ellwood, who denied his killing, claimed she had no memory of the fatal assault, but was found guilty of his murder by a jury at Leeds Crown Court yesterday.

Sentencing her today, the judge, the Recorder of Leeds Guy Kearl KC agreed the "main driver" behind the bloody incident was her drunkenness and said there had been "overwhelming evidence" that she was responsible. He said: "You cannot bring yourself to accept that it was you who killed Ryan Ellwood. This senseless act of violence cost Ryan Ellwood his life."

Handing her a mandatory life sentence, he said the minimum term she must serve will be 16 years. He said she will not then be automatically released and it will be the Parole Board who ultimately decides.

A statement read out on behalf of Ryan's family said they were left "utterly devastated" by his death. Written by his sister Lucie McInnes, she said the family knew it was not a "happy or healthy" marriage, but "had no idea it would end up in Ryan's murder".

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Lisa Ellwood, originally from Dublin, moved to be with Ryan in Wakefield in 2019 and married a short time later. The court heard the relationship was marred by conflict. During the trial, Ellwood claimed she was beaten frequently by Ryan when he was drunk, and he would cheat on her. She became a "functioning alcoholic", even drinking on her way to work.

In contrast, a statement taken from a friend of Ryan's that was read to the court described Ryan as becoming a "shell of a man", and witnessed him being attacked by Lisa in public.

Recorder Kearl said: "Ryan Ellwood may have been no angel himself, there's compelling evidence he was violent towards you on occasion. However, I'm satisfied that it was usually you who escalated matters and resorted to physical violence."

On the evening of August 29 last year the couple had first been to the Lupset Hotel before getting a taxi to Wakefield city centre and she began drinking high-alcohol cocktails in the Blind Pig.

Footage from the pub was played to the jury and showed both of them appearing to be happy. But at some point in the evening, they had a falling out, and left separately.

Ryan arrived home first, and Lisa around 10 minutes later. She was so drunk she was seen falling over just yards from the front door of the home on Greenwood Court.

Lisa then confronted Ryan in the kitchen. Moments later she grabbed the knife from a the kitchen drawer. Pinning him up against a kitchen unit, she thrust the knife into his chest piercing a rib, his lung and the aorta in his heart. Recorder Kearl said there was simply "no recovery" from the wound. The court heard that Ryan was then laid motionless on the floor with blood "spewing out".

Having called 999, the conversation between Lisa and the operator was played to the court, in which she claimed she had found Ryan dying. She became angry with the operator who tried to help her carry out CPR on Ryan, and was swearing repeatedly down the phone.

Ryan was pronounced dead at 11.45pm. When Lisa was arrested by police a short time later, she asked them: "Is this a joke?"

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She continued denying having any involvement. However, she maintained she had no memory due to her drunken state.