Parents of murder victim Kirstie Ellis say she was 'vibrant soul'

Her killer, Tony Brooks, 36, of Agbrigg Road, Wakefield, was sentenced in Leeds Crown Court today (Thursday) and received a life term with a minimum of 24 years and 9 months.

Tony Brooks was sentenced to life for the murder of Kirstie Ellis (Image: West Yorkshire Police)

In a statement, Kirstie’s parents, Vicky and John, and her family said: “Our daughter Kirstie (who was born in Bradford) was a beacon of light to all those who were fortunate enough to have known her and who wanted to raise the awareness of domestic abuse after suffering through it herself.

“The problem of abuse has never gone away but is there hidden in plain sight behind closed doors, and now we unfortunately have lost our precious daughter and baby girl Kirstie to it.

“We remember Kirstie as a vibrant soul, Kirstie loved a drink, to dance and sing the night away. Kirstie's light will now forever shine bright in our family, among our friends and in all those who knew Kirstie's happiness. She will always be remembered for her sense of fun and joy, which has guided us through these troubling times.

The scene when police were investigating the death of Kirstie Ellis (Image: Newsquest)

“We are extremely grateful to all the people who have brought some sense of justice being served on behalf of our daughter Kirstie.

“We would like to thank the court staff for ensuring the smooth running of the proceedings.

“We would like to thank West Yorkshire Police for their hard work and dedication to the case, and for ultimately bringing Kirstie’s murderer to sentencing.

“We extend our thanks to the police officers who worked closely with the family and for keeping us informed of developments in the case.

“The entire ordeal has been a living nightmare for the family, and we’d like to praise the police for their kindness and understanding. They have done a brilliant job under difficult circumstances, and now hopefully the public, and especially women, can breathe a huge sigh of relief that our communities are now safer with this murderer no longer roaming our streets.

“Finally, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our friends and family for their support.

“Without you, we could not have made it through these horrendous times. 

“Although we will never be able to fully move on from this, we are now able to begin picking up the pieces of our lives, and make sure Kirstie lives on to be remembered as the happy, loving and caring woman that she was, with the hope she is now resting peacefully as she deserves.”

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