A violent and controlling man who tried to hide his role in his partner’s death by blaming a fall down the stairs has been convicted of her murder.
Brutal Abuse Uncovered After Shocking False Claim
Dale Cole, 39, from Burton-on-Trent, was found guilty at Stafford Crown Court of murdering Lisa Holland, also 39. On 20 October 2022, Cole made a 999 call reporting Lisa had fallen down the stairs at their home.
Paramedics rushed to the scene, but despite their life-saving efforts, Lisa was pronounced dead at the bottom of the stairs.
Horrific Injuries Revealed in Postmortem
A postmortem exposed the true horror: Lisa had suffered violent and repeated blunt force trauma over weeks and months. She had over 40 broken ribs — old and new fractures — plus severe internal chest wounds.
At least 30 of these broken ribs were inflicted well before her death. Serious, potentially life-threatening abdominal injuries were also present from recent assaults.
Cole Tried to Dodge Murder Charge, but Jury Saw Through the Lies
Cole denied killing Lisa but admitted manslaughter and controlling behaviour during a trial that spanned nearly four years of abuse. The Crown Prosecution Service pushed for a murder conviction and additional grievous bodily harm charges to reveal the full extent of his crimes.
Today, the jury convicted Cole on all counts — delivering justice for Lisa after a relentless campaign of abuse ended her life.
