Man is jailed for life after battering his girlfriend to death with a crowbar

Ben Topping, 25, left Rosie Darbyshire, 27, so disfigured that it was thought at first that she was a man

Ben Topping, 25, left Rosie Darbyshire, 27, so disfigured that it was thought at first that she was a man

A man has been jailed for life after he brutally murdered his girlfriend with a crowbar, leaving her so disfigured that it was thought at first that she was a man.  

Ben Topping, 25, left Rosie Darbyshire, 27, with more than 50 horrific injuries on her body in a 'savage and sustained' attack on February 7, Preston Crown Court heard.

CCTV footage from a shop near Rosie's home in Ribbleton, Lancashire showed the single mother running away from Topping before falling over, standing back up, and then being deliberately tripped by her killer.  

Topping then struck her repeatedly on the head and face with a crowbar, which he claimed he had taken from Rosie's jacket. 

Sentencing Topping to a minimum of 20 years in prison, Judge Mark Brown said 'it is difficult to envisage a more horrific attack on a defenceless person'. 

Topping had only been in a relationship with Rosie for a few weeks before the brutal killing, after reconnecting with her via Facebook.

Judge Brown said on the night of the attack, Topping had been drinking gin and cherry shots at Rosie's home.

He left in the early hours of the morning, with the judge commenting 'There had clearly been an altercation between you'.

Topping was heard by a witness shouting at Rosie, threatening to punch 'every car window in the street' if she didn't come to him.

She replied: 'Please don't hurt me'. 

He then tripped her and attacked her with the crowbar. 

Judge Brown said: 'It was undoubtedly a sustained and savage assault.

CCTV footage from a shop near Rosie's home in Ribbleton, Lancashire showed her running away before being tripped and beaten

CCTV footage from a shop near Rosie's home in Ribbleton, Lancashire showed her running away before being tripped and beaten

'A witness saw you swinging it (the crowbar) like a golf club.

'You were extremely forceful and she was completely helpless to do anything about that.

'She suffered the most extensive injuries to her head and face and was pronounced dead at the scene.'

Members of Rosie's friends and family left the hearing as the judge told of how 50 different injuries had been found on Rosie's head and face, that had left her unrecognisable.

Defensive injuries were also found on Rosie's body.

Judge Brown said: 'Fracturing of finger bones showed she didn't die

read more from dailymail.....

NEXT In news vacuum, rumours and concern swirl over Catherine mogaznewsen