Family pays tribute to beloved mum-of-two as thug ex-partner admitted ‘I’ve done the worst thing’ and is jailed for life
A FAMILY tribute has been paid to a beloved mum-of-two as her thug ex-partner admitted “I’ve done the worst thing” and is jailed for life.
Mark Donovan, 39, inflicted 70 separate injuries on Elise Mason, 37, at the home they once shared in Chelmsford, Essex.
Speaking in 2023, Elise’s mum said: “I have not only lost my daughter, but I have lost my best friend too.
“Elise was a fantastic mother to her children and she was loved by everybody.”
After three hours of deliberation, Donovan was convicted by a jury at Chelmsford Crown Court on March 5, 2025.
He was sentenced by His Honour Judge Christopher Morgan to a minimum of 16 years.
The killer strangled the mum-of-two and battered her with a lamp at his address in Great Baddow, on April 25, 2023.
He then headed to his local pub to throw Elise’s phone in the toilet
Detective Inspector James Holmes, who led our investigation, said: “Today is not in any way about triumph.
“Today is about Elise and it’s about her friends and her family who continue to feel her loss.
“More than anything else, Mark Donovan’s actions have left Elise’s children without their mum and left her wider family without a loving daughter.
“I know today’s sentence will not bring back Elise or ease her family’s suffering in any way but I do truly hope that there is some comfort knowing that Donovan will spend at least 16 years in jail before he is in any way eligible for release.”
CCTV showed the killer enjoying drinks at the bar then heading to two separate massage parlours.
After ordering a Chinese takeaway, he took it to Ilford Police Station in the early hours of April 26, 2023.
There, he told officers he had done “the worst thing”.
Donovan was still eating his noodles with his hands while speaking to police to confess the gruesome crime.
Although he handed himself in, he denied murder and stood trial.
Jurors heard Donovan and Elise had been friends as teenagers before embarking on a relationship in 2010.
After the couple split in 2022, the killer couldn’t accept his ex had moved on.
He bombarded the mum with numerous texts and phone calls in a bid to manipulate her.
On the day of the fatality, Elise was seen heading to her former marital home where Donovan was now living.
Around two hours later, the monster left the house with his ex-wife’s phone and bank card.
Elise was later discovered by the front door still wearing her coat and shoes.
Evil Donovan claimed he was innocent on the grounds of diminished responsibility and said Elise had emotionally and physically abused him.
But jurors saw through his lies.
He was convicted on February 28 but sentenced on March 5.
Detective Inspector James Holmes, senior investigating officer, previously said: “I want to express my heartfelt sympathy to Elise’s family and in particular her two children, who have tragically been left without their mother because of Donovan’s destructive and utterly heartless actions.
“Mark Donovan is clearly a dangerous, selfish and manipulative man.
“[His] warped and self-centred mind could never accept that Elise had moved on from their relationship.
“He killed her in a fit of rage, only handing himself in after enjoying a drink at a pub, a massage and a takeaway meal.
“That behaviour shows the kind of man he is. He can expect to spend the rest of his life where he belongs.”
How you can get help
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.