Crawley man jailed for life after ‘vicious’ murder of woman

Jayesh Gobar, 36, of Moorland Road, Maidenbower, Crawley, was unanimously found guilty of the murder of Nelly Myers by a jury at Hove Crown Court on Monday (December 14), said police.

On Wednesday, December 18 2019, police forced entry into 58-year-old Nelly’s house in Court Meadow Close, Rotherfield after her sons’ raised the alarm that she had not replied to phone messages, a spokesman said.

He added: “There were signs of a disturbance inside the property and officers discovered Nelly deceased in the hallway. Police enquiries continued and a murder investigation was launched the following day when witnesses reported having heard shouting from the address.

“Nelly’s on-off partner, Gobar, was arrested that afternoon. Forensic examination of clothing items worn by Gobar were found to have blood staining that was matched to Nelly.”

The court heard how Gobar was with Nelly inside her property prior to her death when an altercation occurred, said police. Nelly suffered multiple injuries including blunt force trauma to her head, neck and chest. Gobar then left the property and called a taxi to take him home.

On Wednesday (December 16) at Hove Crown Court, following a two week-trial, Gobar was sentenced to life in prison, to serve a minimum of 27 years, the spokesman said.

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Alex Geldart added: “This was a vicious and sustained attack on Nelly.

“Gobar was someone that Nelly turned to for affection; he completely took that for granted, repaying Nelly’s kindness and generosity with aggression and violence, resulting in this tragic and senseless loss of life.

“My team have worked incredibly hard to bring this investigation to a conclusion. Despite Gobar’s attempt to hinder the investigation by not giving an account during interviews, justice has prevailed.

“My thoughts are now very much with Nelly’s family, who have conducted themselves with dignity and bravery throughout the investigation and trial. I hope the result today will go some way to providing closure. Nelly was clearly a much loved mother, friend and colleague and I would ask that the media allow all those affected by Nelly’s death the space and privacy to come to terms with their loss.”

The family of Nelly Myers added: “With today’s sentencing, we are finally able to close this chapter and take the next step forwards. After an arduous process, we are relieved and grateful to see justice delivered for Mum.

“We continue to be devastated by her loss and miss her dearly. Her life was taken in a violent, totally senseless manner and it has been extremely difficult to hear the details of what happened. But we now look forward to honouring her memory in the way she deserves, celebrating her for the joy and love she brought to so many people’s lives.”