A man who drove three miles to murder his daughter’s ex-boyfriend is likely to spend the rest of his life behind bars,
Lance Woollard, 65, was jailed today for life after admitting to a "frenzied” attack with two knives. He stabbed him at least 20 times.
Such was the ferocity of the attack, one of Woollard’s own fingertips was sliced off and found at the crime scene.
%image(15854359, type="article-full", alt="Following Nigel Ebbage's murder, his family said: “We are all devastated and struggling to come to terms with Nigel’s death."")
He had driven from his home in March to Wimblington on the morning of Thursday April 29 to carry out the murder.
Once done, a court heard, he got rid of the boots he had been wearing by dropping them into a charity shoe bin.
On June 29, Woollard had pleaded guilty to murder when he appeared at Cambridge Court.
Sentence was adjourned until today.
Judge David Farrell QC told Woollard in June: "There is only one sentence for the offence for which you have pleaded guilty, namely life."
Today he was jailed for life with a minimum tariff of 20 years.
Woollard, 65, knew 35-year-old Nigel Ebbage would be working from home in Honeysuckle Close, Wimblington, when he visited on the morning of April 29.
There he stabbed Mr Ebbage 20 times, leaving his body at the foot of the stairs.
Mr Ebbage’s partner returned home for lunch at about noon and after making the shocking discovery called police.
%image(15854360, type="article-full", alt="Lance Woollard, of Richmond Avenue, March, was jailed at Cambridge Crown Court by Judge Farrell after pleading guilty to murder last month.")
Woollard was arrested as he drove along the March by-pass at about 1.30pm.
His hands and the steering wheel had blood on them and forensic searches found one of his fingertips had been sliced off at the crime scene.
The court heard the murder happened just before a court hearing to determine future contact arrangements between Mr Ebbage, Woollard’s daughter and their two children, then living with their mother.
Mr Ebbage had split from the defendant’s daughter in 2016.
Woollard, of Richmond Avenue, March, was jailed at Cambridge Crown Court by Judge Farrell after pleading guilty to murder last month.
Detective Inspector Dale Mepstead said: “Lance Woollard knew Nigel was going to be working alone from home that day and he visited with the intention of murdering him.
%image(15854361, type="article-full", alt="The £300,000 home in Wimblington where Nigel Ebbage was murdered.")
“It was a frenzied attack and while Nigel tried to defend himself, the wounds he received to the chest were tragically fatal.
“Nigel’s loss has had a devastating effect on those who knew and loved him and, while nothing will ever heal that grief, I hope the result today will give them some comfort, knowing that justice has been done.”
The court heard following Mr Ebbage’s split from his ex-partner, there was a fire at his ex-partner’s home.
He was accused of the crime and was arrested and charged in June 2018. However, in 2019 he was acquitted of arson.
Mr Ebbage was then allowed contact with his children and a court order was made preventing Woollard from being present at handovers.
A court hearing was due to take place to rule on the future arrangements involving the children and their parents when the murder took place.
Woollard refused to answer any questions after his arrest but pleaded guilty on June 29 at Cambridge Crown Court.
Following Nigel's death, his family released a statement and asked to be left to grieve in private.
“We are all devastated and struggling to come to terms with Nigel’s death,” it said.
“He was a family man; he loved his children and family and would do anything for them.
“He was a fun-loving guy, always cracking a joke. He enjoyed life to the full. He loved the outdoors, especially his kayak.”
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