Jack Johns, 53, has been jailed for life for murdering his fiancee Malgorzata Wiktor, known as Gosia, at her home in Leeds. He was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on Monday, 9 November 2026, and must serve a minimum of 29 years before he can be considered for release.

Johns, of School Street, Tingley, had pleaded guilty to murder in September. The court heard that he killed 51-year-old Ms Wiktor six months into their relationship, after what police described as a pattern of intense affection followed by unpredictable and controlling behaviour.

Found dead at home in Belle Isle

Officers forced entry to Ms Wiktor's home in Foster Square, Belle Isle, on 11 June 2026 after a 999 call from her son, who was concerned after she had failed to turn up for work. She was found in the hallway with multiple injuries to her skull and face and a stab wound to her chest. An officer began CPR, but she was pronounced dead a short time later.

A claw hammer and a knife were found on the floor nearby. Johns was also found unconscious inside the property. He was taken to hospital after taking an overdose of medication combined with alcohol, and was later arrested on suspicion of murder.

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Hannah Dixon, of West Yorkshire Police's Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said her thoughts were with Ms Wiktor's family and with Ms Wiktor herself, "the woman who was at the heart of this investigation who tragically died at the hands of a person she had put her trust in".

Judge calls Johns extremely dangerous

Sentencing Johns, Judge Tom Bayliss KC described him as an "obsessive, possessive, domineering and unstable individual" and told him: "You are, Jack Johns, an extremely dangerous man." The judge said there were "classic markers of coercing and controlling behaviour" in the relationship.

The court heard that Ms Wiktor's friends and family had raised concerns about Johns's intense behaviour in the days and weeks before her death on 11 June. Police said the six-month relationship was characterised by a pattern of "love bombing" by Johns, followed by unpredictable and controlling behaviour.

Detective Inspector Dixon said Johns had proposed to Ms Wiktor after only a few months, and that he would tell her what to wear, was intrusive into her personal life and wanted to know who she was friends with on social media. She said Ms Wiktor had considered contacting Johns's former partners to talk to them about his behaviour because she had started to fear him.

Previous convictions under another name

The sentencing hearing was told that Johns had changed his name from Colin French after being convicted of offences against two previous partners, in 2006 and 2016. He was given an Imprisonment for Public Protection sentence for the 2006 offence of arson endangering life, after setting fire to the home of a former girlfriend while she and her family were inside.

Police said nothing had been reported to them about Johns's behaviour towards Ms Wiktor before her death, but that both she and family members and friends had some concerns. The case, police said, was a reminder of Clare's Law, the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, under which a person can ask police for information about a current or former partner if they are worried that partner may have been abusive in the past and may pose a risk in the future.

The same request can also be made by a close friend, neighbour or family member, police said, and people do not need to have witnessed physical abuse to contact police about controlling behaviour, including limiting contact with others or controlling finances. Applications can be made through a form on the West Yorkshire Police website, by attending a police station or by calling 101.

Sources: West Yorkshire Police and British Bulletin.