Who is Marek Hecko? Chelmsford chef who murdered his ex-girlfriend's partner- what happened next?

A 26-year-old chef was sentenced to jail for 26 years over the murder of his ex-girlfriend’s beau. The chef named, Marek Hecko stabbed Adrian Ellingford, 44, twice in the back at a property in Nelson Grove, Chelmsford on July 25. Hecko told the witness he had “done something terrible”. He was found guilty of murder at Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday and was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 26 years. The court also said that Hecko was still obsessed with his ex-girlfriend with whom in broke up in May 2022.

Who is Marek Hecko? What is his nationality?

Marek Hecko, 26 of Rookes Crescent, Chelmsford was found guilty of murder at Chelmsford Crown Court on March 13. He appeared on Tuesday, March 14, where he was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum of 26 years. Hecko was arrested when a team from Essex and Kent Serious Crime Directorate launched a murder investigation on Monday, July 25 last year.

The officers on the team were standing guard at the scene when a heavily intoxicated Marek Hecko approached them carrying a bottle of brandy. He started to tell officers that he knew what had happened and that he could help. After becoming confrontational, he was arrested and while in custody, he was identified as the main suspect. After hundreds of enquiries, Hecko was charged within a few days with murder and renamed into custody.

The trial was started on February 13 at Chelmsford Crown Court. Hecko then tried to claim that he turned up, after seeing what had happened on the news, despite the news being nowhere online and on social media at this point.

Why Marek Hecko killed Adrian Ellingford?

Marek Hecko killed Adrian Ellingford as the former was in a relationship with Stephanie Breame, who dated Hecko back in 2022. Ellingford was sleeping when he was waked up in bed when he made a comment about “someone” being in the house before he collapsed with a knife thrust deeper into his back. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The attacker, Hecko then fled the house immediately and was arrested at 7:40 BST after he turned up at the police cordon having drunk two bottles of wine, telling one police officer that he know everything. In a statement released after the verdict, Ellingford’s wife Laura described him as her “amazing husband of 17 years” and a “truly brilliant” father to their children aged 10 and 12.

A senseless attack

Det Ch Insp Louise Metcalfe said, "This was a senseless attack on Adrian" which has left two children without a father. "I hope that they can move forward and find some closure now that Hecko is behind bars", he said.

Ellingford's wife read out a victim's personal statement in court and described him as an "amazing husband, loving son, a caring brother, a friend to many and most importantly a truly brilliant father".

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