A woman whose mother died two years after being set alight by her boyfriend says he should now face trial for her murder.
Ellen Marshall, 43, suffered burns over up to 90 per cent of the top half of her body from the horrific attack in April 2021, in her flat in Skegness, Lincolnshire.
The mum-of-four struggled to breathe independently and was given a 50 per cent chance of survival.
She bravely clung to life for almost two years until her death at Nottingham City Hospital on March 11.
The nightmare unravelled during a petty disagreement between Ms Marshall and her boyfriend Leigh Pateman.
Following the argument, Pateman, 43, poured petrol over Ms Marshall from a jerry can and used a lighter to ignite it.
He then fled on his bike and left Ms Marshall for dead after pouring two bowls of water over her at her flat in Skegness, Lincolnshire.
Police described the attack as ‘one of the worst cases of domestic violence‘ they had seen and are waiting for post mortem results to establish how she died.
Her daughter Paige Clarke, 25, who is organising her mother’s funeral, described how Ms Marshall would slip in and out of consciousness and struggled to breathe for herself.
She is now calling for Pateman to be charged with murder if tests prove her mum died as a result of her burn injuries.
‘I would have thought it was obvious that the monster who did this to my mum should now stand trial for murder and serve a life sentence,’ she said in an exclusive interview with DailyMail.
She added: ‘I am still processing the thought of not having my mum around any more and I am supporting my siblings in dealing with it.
‘We knew it was going to shorten her life expectancy but we did not think it would be this quick.
‘In some ways it has come out of the blue because she would get poorly and they’d think she wouldn’t make it and then she would bounce back.
‘She was essentially in hospital ever since it happened. She was in Birmingham, then Nottingham and then in a care home for a few months but then came back to Nottingham City Hospital just before Christmas.’
Pateman admitted grievous bodily harm with intent and was jailed for 17 years and ten months last March at Lincoln Crown Court.
He was handed an extended sentence meaning he will send an extra four years on licence after his release.
Her daughter Paige Clarke, 25, paid tribute to her in a Facebook post saying: ‘No more pain and suffering now mum.’
Paige’s message decorated with heart emojis added: ‘Sleep well and I will see you soon. I love you.’
