A man who stabbed a woman to death at his address in Hendon has been convicted and jailed.
Ian Levy, 54 (25.05.64), of Lime court, Great North Way, Hendon, was found guilty of the murder of Elise Linda Stevens, 51, at the Central Criminal Court on Tuesday, 20 August.
He was consequently sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years.
Police were called at 10:19hrs on Saturday, 2 March after a concerned neighbour heard a woman screaming for help at Levy’s address.
Officers attended with the London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance and were let in by Levy.
They found Elise laying in the hallway suffering from serious stab injuries. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Levy was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and subsequently charged on Sunday, 3 March. He made no comment to all questions put to him during interview.
A post-mortem examination carried out on Monday, 4 March, at Northwick Park Mortuary, Harrow, gave the cause of death as stab wounds.
Elise, who worked as a manager for a board that operates charities for several synagogues in north London, is believed to have first met Levy in February 2018.
The pair began a relationship several months later and she would stay at Levy’s flat at weekends.
Police had not been called to any prior incidents involving the pair, though Levy is believed to have had a history of suffering with his mental health.
DCI Noel McHugh said: “Through our investigation we’ve had the privilege of getting to know a little bit of the late Elise. She was a wonderful mother and decent person, always willing to support others in need and totally selfless. Behind the locked door of Levy’s flat, Elise would suffer a frenzied and mindless attack for no reason. Levy tried to erase a beautiful person from our community but he has failed, Elise will always be remembered as a loving mother and decent person.
“By its nature a murder investigation is distressing, it is unthinkable why people stab each other. But then you come across someone like Levy, whose actions are beyond comprehension. Levy is a cruel and sadistic man. He inflicted multiple injuries to Elise. One can never articulate the pain that a family goes through when they lose a loved one to murder and Elise’s family have endured a very difficult and distressing trial, which has involved listening to the appalling injuries their loved one suffered.
“I am so grateful and proud of the members of the public who acted so promptly to alert police to Elise’s screams; to the officers and LAS who fought to save Elise’s life; and all the police, officers and staff, who worked tirelessly to piece this case together.”
