A University of Suffolk academic is to serve a life sentence after being found guilty of murdering his wife “in a jealous rage” at their home in Colchester.
A jury found Ertan Ersoy, a 52-year-old academic at the Ipswich-based university, guilty on Thursday; he was then sentenced to 23 years and 224 days in prison by Judge Christopher Morgan at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday.
Ersoy, who stabbed his wife, fellow university academic Antonella Castelvedere, to death in June last year, had denied murder but admitted manslaughter.
Receiving his sentence, Ersoy sat motionless before giving an indignant wave to the court room as he was escorted out.
Judge Morgan concluded the hearing, which lasted 23 days before the jury began deliberating, by summing up the concluding remarks of prosecuting barrister Christopher Paxton and defence barrister Sarah Elliott.
As part of his summary, Judge Morgan said Ersoy had “prolonged the agony” for Dr Castelvedere’s family by refusing to give evidence or be cross-examined in court.
He said: “You have not at any stage since your arrest assisted the police in trying to understand what went on in those final moments.
“You’ve spoken to psychiatrists, but the detail is limited and it’s always been self-serving – an effort to reduce your culpability.
“In doing so, you have prolonged the agony that has been felt by those who have been left behind.”
Judge Morgan told Ersoy his behaviour as a husband had been obsessive and controlling, adding the brutal attack he carried out on his wife was down to an inability to accept his wife’s independence.
“I’m satisfied the offence occurred because you couldn’t accept the autonomy of your wife, both in marriage and work life.
“I accept your claim that she would respond and cause you injury, but those injuries are minor.”
Ersoy’s controlling behaviour was epitomised by his spying on his wife, placing clandestine recording devices around the house and secretly recording marriage therapy sessions.
Judge Morgan said: “As you pursued your obsession and tried to bend her to your will, she would have suffered emotionally and psychologically as a result of your behaviour.”
Dr Castelvedere was found dead at the home in Wickham Road in Colchester on June 1 last year.
Concluding the trial, Judge Morgan said: “You will serve 23 years and 224 days in custody before the parole board can consider your release.”
A tribute was read out in court on behalf of Dr Castelvedere's mother after Ersoy was sentenced.
According to the Italian publication L’Unione Sarda, Dr Castelvedere’s family held a cremation service near the village of Bagnolo Mella, a village in the Brescia region, later the same month.
At sentencing, Judge Morgan read out a tribute on behalf of Meena Castelvedere.
It read: “On May 31, Antonella sent a screenshot of an email showing Ersoy had applied for divorce.
“I sent four messages to her and asked her to contact me – when I didn’t receive feedback, I spoke to our friend, and I told her I was worried and asked her to check on her.
“When she went to check, she found the police at the home.
“Later, I was told she was dead.
“In one of my last text messages, I mentioned my heart was in pieces – I didn’t know that at that very moment, my daughter was being murdered.
“Truth and justice remain important for those who remain, even though I will never be able to hear her voice or hug her.”
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