A HEARTBROKEN mother has told of her grief as she faced her daughter’s killer in court.

Jason Gowen is expected to be sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Fiona Robinson, from Barrow, tomorrow.

Fiona’s mother Susan Dunston and other relatives gathered at Preston Crown Court on Tuesday as the case was opened.

In her victim impact statement read out to the court by prosecutor Stephen Wood KC, the mother said: “I have not been able to sleep, it takes me hours to drift off.

“It is like living a nightmare that I just want to wake up from. No mother should ever have to bury their own child.

“I cannot bear to look at photos of her anymore. I cannot get the image of Fiona injured out of my head. I have been signed off work for over 10 weeks because of the stress this has caused me.

“He may have taken her life, but he will never take our memories away.”

A statement read out on behalf of Ms Robinson's children detailed how they felt the defendant, 27, ‘was the reason their mum wasn't here anymore’.

It also described that they feel they have had ‘so much taken emotionally from us’ and that they feel a ‘constant physical ache.’

The statement expressed deep sadness that Ms Robinson would not be around to see her son's birthday next year and that there would be an ‘empty space’ in the place of where she should be on her daughter's prom picture. 

Her daughter added that she had recently overheard a child shouting 'mum' and realised that she would never get to say 'mum' in that way again.

Mr Wood KC told the court how Gowen had murdered his former partner having inflicted an attack that was ‘sustained, prolonged and brutal on May 25 last year.

Mr Wood KC said: “It was a relationship characterised by the defendant’s physically abusive, manipulative, possessive and controlling behaviours borne out of paranoia and jealousy.”

The court heard Gowen made a 999 call at just after 2:15 am on May 26 reporting that his partner had stopped breathing. He also told the operator that she was covered in bruises as if she had been beaten.

Paramedics noted there was bruising to the left side of Ms Robinson’s face, a 1cm laceration halfway down her nose. There was also bruising to her left eye and marks to her neck, as well as bite marks to her right thigh, the court heard.

Pathologist Dr Alison Armour believed Ms Robinson had been the victim of a ‘sustained and very violent assault where she was punched many, many times.”

There were 31 separate sites of injury to Ms Robinson’s head and neck, including fractures to the nasal cartilages, said Ms Armour.

Mr Wood KC said the defendant was ‘bickering via text’ when they were both out drinking on May 24 relating to whether she loved him and whether he had been flirting with a woman.

The court heard Ms Robinson walked back to the house they shared at 00.45 am on May 25.

Gowen controlled Ms Robinson’s phone, the Crown said.

The court heard the following day there were a series of internet searches made using Ms Robinson’s phone all relating to what to do if someone has had their drink spiked.

There were then searches for ‘how long can you be drunk for’ and ‘my partner is drunk and not responding but awake’, the court heard.

When interviewed by police Gowen said that they were in love and planning a wedding and that he would never have caused her any harm, the court heard.

He denied being responsible for any injuries, did not know how they had been caused and denied ever assaulting Ms Robinson in the past.

In mitigation, his defence barrister Alex Leach KC said: “There is an absence of intention to kill. He advances the expression of remorse through me and by his guilty plea.”

Gowen, of Congress Street in Chorley, is due to be sentenced at Preston Crown Court by His Honour Judge Robert Altham, the Honorary Recorder of Preston at 10.45am on Wednesday.