The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A man has been jailed for life for murdering his estranged wife, a worker at Spalding’s Fesa fruit packing factory.
Gytis Griskevicius was ordered to serve a minimum of 23 years before he can be considered for parole.
Griskevicius (32) had denied the murder on May 20 last year of 33-year-old Marina Erte, but was found guilty by the jury at the end of a two week trial.
Judge Michael Heath, passing sentence at Lincoln Crown Court, told him: “You have been found guilty by the jury on compelling evidence.
“I have detected not a shred of remorse in your body.
“You inflicted upon your wife a brutal assault. She suffered a traumatic brain injury. You weren’t satisfied with that and you finished her off.”
During the trial, the jury heard that Griskevicius, of St Anns Lane, Boston, celebrated his 32nd birthday at his home with his housemates before walking to Marina’s flat at Elizabeth Road in Boston.
The pair went to a nearby Asda store where they bought a bottle of whisky before returning to Marina’s flat.
It was then that Griskevicius attacked Marina, inflicting serious injuries including a traumatic brain injury and fractures to both eye sockets, her nose and jaw.
Then he dragged her body into the bathroom where he drowned her.
Before leaving he set light to the flat but the fire did not spread.
William Harbage QC, prosecuting, told the jury: “Marina Erte’s body was found naked in the bath in her flat by firemen who had been called out by neighbours.
“Subsequent examination of her body revealed she had been severely beaten. It was a brutal attack with his bare hands.
“She had then been placed in the bath and drowned by holding a shower attachment up against her face deliberately.
The court was told that the couple married in 2010 but divorce proceedings began in January 2016.
Marina formed a relationship with Aleksandr Kudriasov. Mr Harbage said “The defendant was jealous of Marina’s relationship with her new boyfriend. There is evidence that he was talking about revenge.”
Griskevicius did not give evidence during his trial but denied he murdered Marina. He claimed in police interviews that they had sex at her flat and said she was “fine” when he left her in the early hours to walk home.
Shaun Smith QC, in mitigation, said that Griskevicius had no previous convictions either in the UK or his native Lithuania.
Mr Smith told the court: “He has been in this country for some considerable time.
“He has worked hard. He has paid his taxes. He has not been someone who has been reliant on the state.
“He has not come to the attention of the police because he has behaved properly when he has lived in this country and in Lithuania.”
