BRUTAL PARTNER MURDERER SENTENCED TO LIFE IN GATESHEAD

A domestic abuser and murderer who attempted to decapitate his partner after stabbing her multiple times has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 18 years and 46 weeks. John Baldwin, aged 42, used a meat cleaver and knives during the brutal attack on Eve McIntyre, aged 57, before leaving her with her hands tied behind her back at their apartment in Gateshead in August, as reported by Newcastle Crown Court. The victim's daughter described the killing as 'horrific,' stating she was robbed of the chance to reconnect with her deeply loved mother. Baldwin pled guilty to murder and was subsequently jailed for life. The court heard that Baldwin and Ms McIntyre began their relationship in 2020, moving into a ground-floor flat in Sunderland Road. Baldwin was characterized as controlling, abusive, and violent, with Ms McIntyre often seen with bruises and injuries. Court testimony revealed that Baldwin was violent towards her, assaulted her with knives and a hammer, and was under the influence of heroin at the time of the final attack. He fled the scene wearing only a kimono and slippers, threatening the bus driver to take him to Birtley, before police found her body in the living room with 37 knife injuries, including to her neck. The judge Justice Constable condemned Baldwin for exploiting Ms McIntyre's vulnerability and described the murder scene as 'indescribable horror.' Baldwin was also found guilty of affray and possession of a blade in public. The court highlighted Baldwin's history of violent offenses, including attacks on women and assaults involving shattered glass. The victim was remembered for her love of reading, cooking, and time with her grandchildren. She grew up in London and moved to Newcastle after a traumatic incident where her partner pushed her downstairs, and she struggled with alcohol later in life. The court expressed profound sorrow, stating Ms McIntyre was a 'kind friend to many' and 'much loved mother and grandmother.' The judge emphasized the extreme ferocity of the attack and Baldwin's exploitation of her vulnerabilities, with the scene described as one of horror. Baldwin's sentence reflects the gravity of his crimes, marked by cruelty and brutality.