Ivan Esack (left) stabbed
his wife Natalie Esack to death at her Ashford salon

by Keith Hunt

A controlling ex-detective has today been found guilty of
murdering his estranged wife in her Ashford hair salon because he
was so jealous of her new lover.

Calculating Ivan Esack, 38, savagely plunged a kitchen knife
into tragic Natalie up to 11 times as she desperately tried to
escape into a basement.

He had admitted manslaughter, but denied murder - claiming his
responsibility was diminished because he suffered from a
narcissistic personality disorder.

But a jury of eight men and four women at Maidstone Crown Court
have today convicted "disgusting" Esack (pictured below) of
murdering 33-year-old Natalie in cold blood after a three-week
trial.

Wearing a grey suit, Esack - who faces a life sentence
- showed no emotion as he stared blankly ahead. He will be
sentenced on Monday.

There were shouts of "Yes" and some women in the public gallery
wept as jurors returned a unanimous guilty verdict to murder after
deliberating for nine hours.

Natalie's family said there will "never be true justice" for
their loss.

Judge Charles Byers told lawyers he was not going to sentence
immediately, as there should be a period of "quiet and calm".

Outside court, a statement read on behalf of Natalie's family by
DCI Paul Fotheringham said: "Anyone that was lucky enough to
come into Natalie's life would tell you the same, that she was the
most caring, selfless and genuine, happy outgoing person.

"There will never be true justice for our loss. No one should
have to bury their daughter or sister at such a young age, just
because someone else had decided to take them away from everyone
they love.

"The most precious person has been ripped from our lives and we
would ask that anyone who may be suffering like Natalie to please
seek help before it is too late."

Natalie's father Jim Wilkinson told
reporters: "Justice has been done. We are happy with the result.
We'd sooner have Natalie standing next to us, but that can't be
done.

"We just hope he gets the full amount that he deserves. Her
loss devastated the whole family."

Natalie Esack's father
Jim Wilkinson (above) and (below, centre) her boyfriend Justin
Khadaroo leave court. Pictures: Martin Apps

Esack, a former Kent Police detective turned football agent,
bought the knife at Sainsbury's moments before strolling to Esack
Hair and Beauty, in the High Street.

Jurors heard Esack was so jealous of Natalie's new
relationship with Justin Khadaroo, 34, he had plotted to kill
himself in front of her.

But when he arrived at the salon he repeatedly thrust the blade
into his wife in front of horrified teenage hairdresser Chelsea
Ford.

The furious 20-second attack was so violent it left the
blade bent and even snapped off the tip.

The
blood-stained knife Ivan Esack repeatedly plunged
into his wife Natalie - leaving the blade bent (below) and tip
broken off

Miss Ford, 17, later told police the ex-detective then calmly
walked out of the salon declaring: "She deserved it, the
bitch."

Esack had repeatedly threatened to kill Natalie - saying her
only options were "death or death".

He claimed he lost control in the salon on Monday, April 30 last
year when Natalie told him to get out.

"she had it coming to her. i don't regret a thing..." – ivan esack

Esack went home to Rosewood Drive, Repton Park, Ashford, and was
arrested there soon afterwards.

Moments later, calm Esack asked officers: "Is she dead?"

The prosecution said Esack was extremely co-operative and
smelled of alcohol, having drunk several cans of Special Brew and
half a bottle of whisky.

The ex-policeman later said: "I admit it all. I take it she is
dead. She had it coming to her. I don't regret a thing."

Forensics officers at
Esacks Hair and Beauty. Picture: Andy Clark

The court heard delusional Esack believed he was a potential Conservative Prime Minister, compared himself to former South African president Nelson Mandela and even fancied himself as a James Bond figure.

A psychiatrist agreed he was suffering from a narcissistic

disorder, but the prosecution did not accept it was an abnormality

to function - because it did not affect the nature of his

rationality of his conduct and self-control.

Philip Bennetts QC, prosecuting, said: "The defendant was a
violent and controlling person who, unable to deal with the
separation from his wife, killed her because he didn't want her to
be with anyone else."

The couple met at Living World gym, where Natalie was working as
a hairdresser and Esack went to get his hair cut.

They went out for about 10 years before getting married in 2006
and set up the hairdressing business two years later.

Soon their marriage deteriorated and Natalie started dating Mr
Khadaroo, whom she met in 2007, in October 2011 when she moved in
with her father.

Describing Natalie as petite and 5ft 1in while Esack as stocky,
prosecutor Mr Bennetts said the husband was aware of her new
relationship and she would not return to him.

"He threatened to kill her and to kill the man she was in a new
relationship with," said the prosecutor. "On April 30, he decided
he was going to kill her."

Ivan Esack selects a
knife from Sainsbury's before paying at a self-service checkout,
then calmly walking out and killing his wife Natalie
Esack

The prosecutor said Esack had repeatedly assaulted and abused
Natalie during their relationship and threatened to kill her.

Mr Khadaroo, who told the court he had urged Natalie to get a
restraining order, said to Esack in a phone conversation he was the
most "disgusting, vile human being" he had ever met.

Miss Ford said she heard him tell Natalie in the salon she was
"a dead woman walking", adding: "Tick tock, tick tock."

Oliver Saxby, defending, said there was no intention to indulge
Esack, engender any sympathy for him or put the blame
elsewhere.

He said diminished responsibility provided "an explanation for
acting in the way he did".

The route Ivan Esack took
through Ashford to kill his wife. Click on a number to see CCTV
image. Graphic: James Norris

Mr Saxby said: "It is not our view he is insane or mad. If that
were the case we would advance he was guilty of manslaughter by
reason of insanity.

"We would be the first to concede there is a natural repugnance
to apply that label when a person is utterly and completely
responsible for someone's death. He went out and did it.

"This is a medical defence and not some kind of moral defence or
excuse."

Hard-working Natalie was described by friends as a caring,
selfless and popular individual who always put others before
herself.