Former soldier jailed for life after murdering ex-girlfriend’s stepmother by slashing her throat

A jealous former soldier has been jailed for life after he murdered his ex-girlfriend’s stepmother by slashing her throat from ear to ear.

Evil Barach Bandavad, 38, butchered Judith Ege, 58, after she arrived at his house with her husband to collect her step-daughter Samantha’s belongings following their bitter split.

Bandavad was “polite” at first, but suddenly flipped – telling them he had a gun and two knives and stating “There is a need for us all to die”.

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Tragic Judith, a special needs teacher, and husband Augustine, also a teacher, tried to flee from Bandavad’s home in Horfield, Bristol.

But Bandavad slashed Judith’s throat from ear to ear as she struggled with him in the back of their hired car – causing fatal injuries.

The MoD worker denied murdering Judith on June 30 last year but a jury took just three hours to unanimously find him guilty after a two-week trial at Bristol Crown Court.

Mr Justice Lindblom sentenced Bandavad to life and said he must serve at least 22 years before he can be considered for released.

The judge said: “What you did to Mrs Ege was the terrible outcome of a plan gone wrong. Her injuries were quite appalling.

“She was in the back of the car at the time, which by now had little room left on the back seat.

“You forced her in the area between the front and back seat, where you attacked her. There was a large quantity of blood, suggesting you forced her into that part of the car.

“Her injuries were horrific, her throat was cut from side to side.”

Bandavad did not show any emotion as he was sent to the cells.

The court heard how Mr and Mrs Ege had travelled from Oxfordshire to Bandavad’s home in Bristol to collect Samantha Hines’ possessions after she broke up with him.

He helped them load a hired Vauxhall Corsa car outside the house but then told them: “There is a need for us all to die”.

Evidence showed Bandavad, of Caribbean origin, tried to torch the car after killing Judith.

Speaking outside court, Detective Chief Inspector Simon Crisp of Avon and Somerset police thanked residents for coming forward with information about the case.

He said: “The sentence rightly reflects the severity of the crime and should serve as a deterrent to anyone who might carry a knife as a weapon.

“All of us should be grateful to those residents of Horfield and the surrounding area who stepped forward to give evidence of what they saw.

“Without such people performing this duty, we would be unable to bring offenders like Bandavad to justice.”

Judith’s family did not wish to comment about the sentence.