Ensar Gol jailed for 36 years for double murder

A man who stabbed his wife and mother-in-law to death in a "senseless slaughter" has been jailed for life.

Turkish national Ensar Gol, 22, killed 28-year-old Michala with a kitchen knife in the marital bedroom before launching a frenzied attack on her mother, Julie Sahin, 50, and a family friend when they tried to intervene.

Today grieving relatives paid tribute to the two women and said no sentence would "ever be enough" as Gol was told he would serve a minimum of 36 years behind bars.

Gol was convicted yesterday of two counts of murder and one of attempted murder after a seven-day trial at Oxford Crown Court.

Today, he was handed two life sentences for the murders of his wife and mother-in-law which will run concurrently, along with a 12-year prison term for the attempted murder of friend Casey Wilson.

He will spend a minimum of 36 years behind bars, minus the 270 days he has already served in custody, court officials said.

His conviction came less than a year after he moved to the UK.

The court heard that Gol met his wife while she was on holiday in Turkey. The pair, who went on to have two children together, began a long-distance relationship before they wed last March.

But they had a troubled marriage and Gol, who was seen as a possessive and jealous husband, made threats to kill his wife.

During the trial, prosecutor Dafydd Enoch told the court Gol was "clearly unhappy".

"The marriage was clearly unhappy. He was clearly homesick," he said.

"But none of this can even begin to explain the cold acts of murder in which he indulged: senseless slaughter born out of premeditated ruthless violence."

On September 4 last year, Gol, who worked in a restaurant, failed to turn up for his shift. Instead he went to have sex at the home of a woman he had met the previous month.

At around 1.15am that night he visited his mother-in-law's husband at a takeaway shop and asked what would happen to his children if something happened to his wife and her mother.

At about 2.10am he returned home to attack his victims, setting upon Mrs Gol first.

Mrs Sahin and Miss Wilson, 20, ran upstairs to help but were also both stabbed.

Only Miss Wilson survived her injuries.

Mrs Sahin's husband spoke today of his relief at Gol's conviction as he paid a touching tribute to his wife and step-daughter.

"I went to work on Saturday September 3 a happy family man and this was devastatingly taken away," he said.

"I met Julie when I was 23 years old and was so lucky to have 12 years with the one and only love of my life. I know that she loved me as much as I loved her.

"She was a wonderful and caring lady, who loved her daughter and grandchildren and it was awful to hear the lies he told about her.

"I am pleased that the jury saw through his lies and recognised he was guilty of Julie's murder, Michala's murder and the horrible attack on Casey.

"It breaks my heart that the children and I will never see Julie or Michala again."

He added: "No sentence can bring back my wife or Michala but I can try to re-build my life knowing he has been found guilty."

Miss Wilson, who bravely faced the killer in court when she gave evidence against him, described going into the witness box as "the hardest thing I have ever had to do".

"I did this for my friends, Julie and Michala, who sadly did not live to be able to tell their story," she added.

"Julie was my friend and confidante. She was kind and caring and nothing like the person the defence tried to portray her as."

Mrs Sahin's brothers, Wade and Patrick Anderson, condemned Gol - who was seen laughing following his arrest - for a total lack of contrition.

"Our sister, Julie, and our niece, Michala, were brutally murdered by a man who was the father of Michala's children," they said.

"Julie was a wonderful and special daughter and sister who doted on her grandchildren. She was in a loving marriage to Mehmet and it was hard to hear the lies from Gol in court.

"Michala, our niece, was a beautiful young mother who only ever wanted the best for her young children.

"Our mother's health has got worse since their deaths and I do not know if she will ever be able to recover from this.

"Their deaths have left a huge hole in our lives.

"He has never shown any remorse for his actions and Michala's children will now grow up without either of their parents.

"There is no sentence that a court can give him that will ever be enough as Julie and Michala can never come back. However we are satisfied that the sentence from the judge is appropriate."

PA