A reporter has opened up on how he has been “deeply affected” by covering the murder of a young woman from Canada on his patch.

Essex Live journalist Ellis Whitehouse has spoken about the “responsibility” he felt in covering the death of Ashley Wadsworth, who died at the hands of her boyfriend Jack Sepple just two months after she moved to Chelmsford to be with him.

Ellis, pictured, covered the police operation at the crime scene, a short drive from his home, and went on to liaise with Ms Wadsworth’s family in Canada about what to expect from the UK’s legal system as the case against her killler progressed.

Sepple, who was 23 and had previous convictions for domestic violence, stabbed the 19-year-old around 90 times. He has now been jailed for a minimum of 23 years and six months at Chelmsford Crown Court.

In a first-person piece looking back on the case, Ellis wrote: “Having been the first at the crime scene, and the first to report Sepple’s guilty plea, I’d developed a responsibility in my own head that this case needed to be reported in the best possible way.

“Speaking with Ashley’s mother, hearing her anguish, giving her little details about what to expect from the legal system of the UK, and then covering the trial, almost felt like something I had to do.

“Why did I feel this? This case has deeply affected me more than many others I’ve reported on, and there have been many other tragedies to come through Essex’s courts in my days as a reporter.

“Just knowing that I was a resident of the same place where this poor family’s daughter had travelled to and then had her life cruelly snatched from her, made me feel a sense of guilt.

“Ashley was an adult woman free to make her own decisions, as any woman should be in this world. As her parents said in their victim impact statements, they had grave reservations about Ashley coming all the way out here to meet someone for the first time.”

“As I sat in court, I saw Ashley’s parents bravely read through their victim impact statements, fighting through tears, sobs and bouts of extreme emotion, and saw the impassive, un-moved face of their daughter’s killer.

“It truly hit me how much better men need to be, how much better society needs to be, and how much better we should have been as the county that, for a while, their daughter called home.

“To Ashley’s family – I’m sorry that our city was not safe for your daughter, and I’m sorry that because of this resident’s actions you will never see your daughter smiling again.”

Ms Wadsworth’s death will now spark a domestic homicide review.

Speaking to HTFP, Ellis added: “Seeing Ashley’s family be so brave in the face of such an appalling act of violence against their daughter really hit home just how much women have to go through and the types of tragedies they have to endure for others to listen.

“If my reporting can do even a small amount to highlight the issue of violence against women, I’ll be happy. I also hope it brought some sense of comfort and reassurance to Ashley’s family that her memory would be honoured.”

Essex Live editor Katrina Chilver added: “I have been so proud of how Ellis has covered everything from the day of Ashley’s murder right through to the court case, and I know he will be there to support the family if we can help them with anything in the future.

“On the day her killer was found guilty Ellis came to me with his passionate idea for an opinion piece. I think his writing really shows the responsibility he felt to honour Ashley and support her family.

“We all really feel Ashley should have been safe here in Chelmsford and are committed to honouring Ashley’s memory and trying to prevent anything like this ever happening to anyone else.”