Despised lover John Jessop was sentenced to life in prison after cutting Clair Ablewhite’s throat

A despised lover who cut his victim’s throat after he couldn’t accept her ending the relationship was sentenced to life in prison today.

Mother of three Clair Ablewhite, 47, was brutally stabbed to death by younger lover John Jessop in the picturesque village of Colston Basset, on the outskirts of Nottinghamshire, in February.

Jessop, 26, was described as “confused” when Ms Ablewhite decided to “cool off” the couple’s affair after admitting concerns about their age difference – before cycling to their £450,000 home where he was launched a “persistent and brutal” attack.

The killer showed no emotion in the dock as he was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum sentence of 17 years and eight months at Nottinghamshire Crown Court today.

Despised lover John Jessop (pictured) cut his victim’s throat after he couldn’t accept it and was jailed for life today

Clair Ablewhite, 47, (above) was killed in Colston Basset, Nottinghamshire, in February by John Jessop, 26, who pleaded guilty to her murder today

Ms Ablewhite suffered extensive stab wounds to her neck and chest during the vicious attack, as well as a series of blunt force and defensive injuries.

Factory worker Jessop left the £450,000 property without notifying authorities and arrived at his home in Newark, Notts, in the early hours of the morning.

Ms Ablewhite’s body was discovered in the blood-stained house the following day by her shocked 74-year-old father, Graham Tinkley.

Mr Tinkley, who found his daughter still in her pyjamas, lying by the fireplace, told the court: ‘To this day I wake up at night; panic attacks. I see Clair in my dreams.

“I can see blood pouring from her throat as she tries to revive her dead body.”

The factory worker, who met his lover on the Facebook dating site, later became the subject of a manhunt and was arrested 11 days after the murder, which took place on the night of February 25 last year.

The manhunt prompted Jessop to warn friends just three days before his arrest: “This may be my last night, I’m on borrowed time”.

Jessop, 26, had been riding his bike nearly 18 miles from his home in Newark, stopping for a pie on the way before slitting the throat of Mrs. Ablewhite, the “one in a million” farmer’s wife .

Jessop, 26, had been riding his bike nearly 18 miles from his home in Newark, stopping for a pie on the way before slitting the throat of Mrs. Ablewhite, the “one in a million” farmer’s wife

Pictured: John Jessop is led away in handcuffs when he was arrested at his place of work last year

The case prompted senior police officials to warn netizens to “think about who they interact with online and make sure their safety is protected from violent and predatory individuals like Jessop.”

Ms Ablewhite had married aged 19 and worked most of her life on the farm she shared with her husband, with whom she had three children.

When the marriage broke up, she moved to the quiet confines of Colston Bassett to start a new life for herself.

Neighbors said the 47-year-old, who worked as a local dog walker, only moved into a rented house in the village shortly before the attack on the evening of February 25.

Christopher Donnellan KC, prosecutor, told the hearing how Ms Ablewhite met Jessop in September 2021 – five months before she was killed.

However, it resumed the following February, and the couple saw each other a few times until Jessop “expressed concerns” around the time of Valentine’s Day.

Jessop stops at a local supermarket to buy a pie just hours before Clair Ablewhite’s murder

Jessop was also captured in CCTV images (above) near Ms Ablewhite’s home on the night of her murder

Mr Donnellan said he messaged Ms Ablewhite asking her not to “play around” with him, adding: “If you don’t want to see me anymore, all you have to do is say so.”

The court heard he continued to press her for an explanation as to why the “relationship had cooled” and “didn’t accept the age difference as a reason.”

A later message he sent read: “Can’t you tell me the real reason you left me? Was I too intense?’

Mr Donnellan told the hearing that Ms Ablewhite went to the pub with friends the night she was attacked and returned to the cottage where she had lived for about six weeks and chatted with a neighbor before going inside .

He said Jessop rode his bike from home in the dark, left his phone there to “provide an alibi” and parked in the village some distance from Mrs Ablewhite’s property before walking there.

The court heard she was attacked around 10.09pm – with her screams picked up by a neighbour’s CCTV system.

The next morning, after leaving her horses unattended in a nearby field, a concerned friend contacted her son, who then called Mrs Ablewhite’s father, Graham Tinkley.

Mr Tinkley entered his daughter’s house – and found her dead by a fireplace, still in her pyjamas.

A search for her killer was launched by detectives and a series of CCTV appeals were launched. Jessop was eventually identified after officers meticulously traced his path from the crime scene back to his home.

Peter Joyce KC, defending himself, claimed Jessop attacked his victim “on impulse” after he traveled to her cottage to “seek an explanation”.

He said: “He was confused, concerned as to why the woman who had previously invited him was now saying, ‘I’m sorry, I won’t tell you why, but we can’t see each other again’.

“An argument led to violence and resulted in his pleading guilty to murder. It was a brief attack that took place during an argument between two people on a fit of rage.

Ms Ablewhite’s sons previously paid tribute to their “unique” and “truly one-of-a-kind” mother (pictured above).

Colston Bassett is in the Vale of Belvoir on the border of Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire and has around 400 residents.

“He had a limited relationship with the opposite sex. He had feelings for this woman and everything went horribly wrong that night.’

In moving statements about the impact of victims, members of Ms Ablewhite’s family said Jessop is an “evil killer” who “cannot accept rejection”.

And after her death, two of Mrs Ablewhite’s sons paid tribute to her, describing her as “one in a million”.

Dan Ablewhite, 28, previously wrote on Facebook: “Love you so much mum. I just want to see that beautiful big smile and hug you and tell you how much you mean to all of us.

“You really were one in a million rest in peace sleep tight remember and dream of all the good times we had together.”

Meanwhile, Sam Ablewhite, 20, said: “RIP Mum we all miss you so much

“You really were one in a million. Words cannot describe how difficult my life will be without seeing that beautiful wide smile you had.

“Rest in peace, sleep well and remember all the good times we had together.

“We three brothers will do everything to put a proud little smile on your faces up there.”

Colston Bassett was included in the Daily Telegraph’s list of Britain’s 54 most posh villages this week, with the average house price being £786,955.

The sleepy village of around 400 people is also known for its long history as the home of traditional Shropshire and Stilton blue cheeses.