Every third day, in our #EveryThreeDays campaign, I write about a woman killed by a man. Previously in this campaign, which started on the 2nd of May 2021, I have remembered 90 women. The last being Leanne Collopy from Rawtenstall, Lancashire.
Today we remember Jessica King, whose killer Jordan Thackray was jailed for life on the 19th of January 2018. Thackray, a drug user, had been in a volatile “on-off” relationship with Jessica.
He murdered her in August 2017 after she tried to end the relationship and after discovering that Jessica had a new boyfriend.
During an exchange between the couple Thackray, of East Grange View, Leeds, warned the 23-year-old: “You slag. Watch what I do to you. If I can’t have you noone can. What do you think I’m going to do to you?“
In a tragically prophetic reply, Ms King responded:”I know what you’re going to do. You’re going to kill me.“
Although she was urged to stop having contact with Thackray, Jessica said she “felt sorry” for him, and they met up again on the night he killed her.
After strangling Jessica, Thackray took their two young children in her car from the house in Oxford Lane, Siddal, and travelled to his parents in Leeds, where he dropped the youngsters off. Thackray then lied about Jessica’s whereabouts – he sold her car and mobile phone to another man while her concerned family looked for her.
On the afternoon of the 27th of August, Jessica’s mum and sister went to the property in Siddal finding her body laid on the bed with her arms across her chest.
Thackray, who had previously served four years in prison for an offence of GBH with intent, was arrested by police after he turned up at a bingo hall in Leeds, saying he had “done something serious”.
Pleading guilty to the murder charge, the Judge, Jonathan Durham Hall QC sentenced him to life in prison with a minimum of 17 years before he could be considered for parole.
Meanwhile – two young kids were left without a mum.
Jessica King
#EveryThreeDays
