LONDON MAN JAILED FOR BRUTAL TRIPLE MURDER AND HISTORY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Theodore Johnson, who is 64 years old, received a minimum prison term of 26 years after being found guilty of murdering his former partner, Angela Best.His criminal record includes two previous incidents involving the deaths of women; he was convicted of manslaughter in both cases.
In 1981, he pushed his wife, Yvonne Johnson, off a balcony during a disagreement, leading to a three-year sentence.
In 1993, he strangled a former partner, Yvonne Bennett, and admitted guilt to manslaughter based on diminished responsibility.
Johnson encountered Ms Best while on unescorted leave from a secure mental health facility.
On December 15, 2016, he assaulted her at his home in north London, using a claw hammer and strangling her with her dressing gown cord after she met another man.
The judge described this attack as brutal and vicious, with Judge Richard Marks QC noting, "The attack by you on Angela Best was sustained, vicious and utterly brutal.
She suffered an unimaginably terrible death." Following the assault, Johnson attempted to kill himself by jumping in front of an express train, which resulted in the amputation of his right arm and left hand.
Authorities subsequently discovered Ms Best's body after visiting Johnson’s flat post-suicide attempt.
Johnson confessed to her murder, and the court took into account his history of violence.
His mental health history includes personality disorder and depression, and he was released from a secure hospital in 1997 under conditional discharge, with restrictions on his relationships with women.
Despite these restrictions, he concealed his relationship with Ms Best.
His criminal record features manslaughter of his wife in 1981 and his partner in 1993, both linked to domestic violence.
The case has raised concerns and controversy due to his prior convictions and mental health issues, with health professionals and campaigners questioning the authorities’ decisions.
Johnson’s case underscores ongoing challenges related to mental health care and domestic violence, culminating in his recent lengthy prison sentence.
