LEWIS CROFTS SENTENCED TO LIFE FOR MURDER IN BURSLEM, STOKE-ON-TRENT

Lewis Crofts, 30, from Dorset, has been handed a life sentence after admitting to the murder of Kimberley Deakin, a 29-year-old new mother. The crime took place on 6 November at her residence on Leigh Street, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent. Crofts carried out a violent assault, stabbing Kimberley multiple times in her face, neck, and chest, which led to her death. The police confirmed that a post-mortem examination found her death was directly caused by the stab wounds inflicted by Crofts. After the attack, Crofts fled the scene in Kimberley's car but was later apprehended by officers in Northamptonshire. At Stafford Crown Court, he was sentenced to a minimum of 16 years and nine months behind bars. It was revealed during the hearing that Kimberley had recently embraced motherhood with the birth of her daughter, Ava, and her family described her as a beloved and treasured individual. Following the sentencing, her mother and partner expressed their grief, stating, "The day my baby girl was taken away from us was the hardest thing that we have ever had to face." Detective Inspector Cheryl Hannan of Staffordshire Police commented, "Crofts’ actions took away Kimberley from a large, close, loving family and many friends. He has also taken away a doting mother from a young daughter." The case highlighted the devastating consequences of domestic violence and murder, drawing significant public and media attention to the tragic impact on families and communities.