A man who murdered his partner, Tiffany Render, aged 34, in Whitehaven has been jailed for life.
Paul Irwin, aged 50, of George Street, Whitehaven was sentenced today at Carlisle Crown Court following a trial in November.
He has been sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 32 years in prison.
The court heard how on 22 March 2024, police received a called from North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) shortly before midnight requesting assistance for a 34-year-old woman in cardiac arrest.
Miss Render had been at Paul Irwin’s address that evening and at some point, suffered an injury which caused a substantial bleed, causing her to suffer a cardiac arrest, resulting in her death.
Officers arrived at the scene and Irwin was arrested on suspicion of murder.
Investigations revealed that Irwin contacted a member of his family at 11:37pm, prior to contacting NWAS, telling them that “Tiffany is in bed and she’s dead”.
Irwin was also sentenced for an offence of sexual assault where he received a 15 year sentence, to be served concurrently.
Irwin has been placed on the Sex Offender Register for life.
Detective Constable Lisa Baker said: “I am pleased that Paul Irwin has been convicted of the murder of Tiffany Render and that he will now spend a significant amount of time in prison for what he did.
“This is a tragic loss of a life, and no one should have to suffer at the hands of their partner in such a horrific way.
“My thoughts remain with Tiffany’s family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.
“We know that no sentence passed will be able to bring Tiffany back, but I do hope that the sentence passed today can go some way in giving them some sort of closure knowing that Irwin is now behind bars for what he did to Tiffany.
DC Baker continued: “Our officers are committed to tackling all types of domestic abuse, prosecuting those responsible and working with partner agencies to support victims and survivors.
“If you are a victim of domestic abuse, are affected by domestic abuse or know someone who is suffering please contact police today, you will be taken seriously, we will take action, we will support you”.
In a statement released by Tiffany’s mother after the sentencing, she said: “Firstly we would like to thank Cumbria Police for all their hard work and commitment to my daughter’s case. Particularly the support given by our Family Liaison Officers (FLOs).
“Also, I will thank the jury who had a very difficult task - thank you.
“To all of our prosecuting counsel - everyone was so very professional, very caring and very aware of how difficult this whole process has been.
“I would also like to thank the press for sensible reporting of this case and respecting our wishes.
“No sentence will ever make up for our loss. But we feel that we have justice for Tiffany.”
If you have been the victim of domestic abuse, or are concerned for someone who is, you can report this by calling 101.
Always dial 999 in an emergency.
You can get more advice about domestic abuse here: Advice about domestic abuse | Cumbria Police