A MAN who stabbed his gay lover to death in a frenzied attack has been jailed for life.

Francois Christophe murdered Joseph Ennis, his partner of 14 years, after wrongly believing he had been dumped for another man.

Mr Ennis, a taxi driver, suffered 23 knife wounds, some of which penetrated his lungs, heart and liver. Others, including the final one witnessed by an off-duty police officer, pierced Mr Ennis’s jugular artery and voice box.

Christophe, who admitted murder, was ordered to serve a minimum term of 12 years, 11 months and 10 days before being considered for parole.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that Christophe had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity after he had been assessed by psychiatrists. Neither had concluded that he was insane, suffering from a personality disorder or any psychiatric illness that could lead to diminished responsibility.

“This was an unprovoked, frenzied attack by a man angered by rejection,” said John Hillen, prosecuting.

Shaven-haired Christophe, 48, and Mr Ennis, 42, had agreed to a trial separation shortly before the murder in July last year. Frenchman Christophe had moved out of the flat they shared in Maritime Gate, Northfleet, and was living in Purley, Surrey.

But Christophe could still not accept it was over and became jealous when he wrongly believed that Mr Ennis had a new lover.

On the day of the brutal stabbing Christophe had telephoned Mr Ennis as he drove his sister to the airport in his taxi. Also in the Peugeot 45 was a fellow driver known as Dildar.

The two men had become friends and often socialised together, However, they were not in a relationship.

During calls to Mr Ennis’s mobile Christophe said he still loved Mr Ennis. Dildar intercepted one of these calls when Mr Ennis became upset.

Mr Hillen told the court this may have sparked the violence that was to come.

“Rightly or wrongly, Dildar told the defendant that he was his new boyfriend and to stop bothering him,” explained Mr Hillen. “That may have been the remark that sparked a jealous reaction and led to the murder of Joseph Ennis.”

Jailing Christophe for life, Judge Warwick McKinnon said whatever minimum term he imposed would not “bring Joseph Ennis back to this world”.

He said the sentence took into account the nature of their relationship, Christophe’s background and the psychiatric reports. Nor did it ignore Christophe’s guilty plea, his time spent in custody, nor the “sheer brutality” of the attack.

“I am satisfied that you felt genuine hurt that your relationship had come to an end,” explained the judge. “It is clear you had not come to terms with the ending of the relationship and were engulfed by jealousy and extreme sensitivity.

“What strikes me in this case, all that said, is the sheer brutality and viciousness involved in this senseless and prolonged killing, involving the infliction of no less than 23 stab wounds with a large weapon and very much more dreadful violence simply required to kill.

“It continued even when an off duty police officer arrived at the scene and sought to persuade you to desist.”

The court heard that Christophe returned to the flat on the evening of the murder to find it had had a makeover. He told a psychiatrist following his arrest that it looked “a bit Indian”, and all his belongings had been moved into the single bedroom. “He felt he had been replaced by Dildar,” said Mr Hillen.

Mr Ennis returned to the flat at about 5pm. The account of what happened thereafter was based, Mr Hillen told the court, on what Christophe recalled to the psychiatrist.

Christophe, who had a history of suicide attempts and paranoia, had already stabbed himself with two kitchen knives by the time Mr Ennis arrived. He said he accused Mr Ennis of lying and betraying him.

“The defendant said Joseph Ennis showed little emotional reaction while he was crying like a baby,” said Mr Hillen.

Christophe then armed himself with a larger knife, claiming he was to harm himself, before they set off for hospital in Mr Ennis’s taxi with Christophe sitting in the back.

It was as Mr Ennis drove down the slip road onto the A20 at Swanley that Christophe struck.

Mr Hillen said: “The defendant said he looked in the mirror and saw Joseph Ennis. He said something came over him and claimed to hear voices. He cannot explain it any further. He said he had a picture of him holding the knife and the next picture he had was the knife in the throat of Joseph Ennis.”

The court heard that the shocking murder was witnessed by several passing motorists, who described Christophe as attacking Mr Ennis in a “frenzied but rhythmical manner” over his right shoulder.

“He was plunging the knife into Joseph Ennis’s neck up to the hilt, and also into his chest up to the hilt,” said Mr Hillen.

The taxi began to roll down the slope, hitting traffic cones, before coming to a halt on the grass verge. Mr Ennis’s foot was sticking out of the door and he was twisted in his seat.

Another passing motorist was off-duty Metropolitan police officer Matthew Mayo. Believing a robbery was taking place, Mr Mayo pulled over, grabbed a Stanley knife and got out of the van.

“Mr Mayo then acted with considerable bravery and regardless of the risk he could be facing,” said Mr Hillen.

Telephoning for assistance he saw that Christophe was still stabbing Mr Ennis, despite him being already dead.

“Mr Mayo shouted at the defendant to leave Mr Ennis alone and the defendant looked back without emotion and then with a last stab put the knife through the back of Mr Ennis’s neck so it came out of the front,” said Mr Hillen.

Mr Mayo continued to shout at Christophe, who eventually got out of the car but would not move away. Mr Mayo warned other witnesses to keep back and ordered Christophe to get down.

His orders were ignored. Mr Mayo then kicked him hard in the chest with a flying kick, knocking him backwards and to the ground. But Christophe got up again, saying he wouldn’t do as he was asked until he saw the police.

Mr Mayo flashed his warrant card and Christophe knelt down. The officer then jumped on Christophe and flattened him face down on the ground. Christophe began to struggle so Mr Mayo punched him in the cheek. He was then tied up with a piece of rope and the help of a passing lorry driver.

The court heard that Mr Mayo then put a board in front of the taxi so passers by could not see the grisly sight of Mr Ennis.

Christophe had knife wounds to his chest, abdomen, and both thighs. He told paramedics that he and Mr Ennis had had a fight: “I was very upset. I didn’t mean to hurt him. He told me he was going to leave me. I only wanted to hurt myself.”

While in hospital he also told a guard that he had to be punished.

The couple had met on New Year’s Eve in 1990 at a gay club in Marble Arch. Mr Ennis, who was born in Northern Ireland, had originally trained as a Roman Catholic priest but later left the church because of his sexuality.

They first lived together in Finsbury Park, North London. Mr Ennis was said to be the quiet one, while Christophe, born in Paris, was the extrovert.

At times their relationship was violent and in July 1999 Mr Ennis complained to Gravesend police that Christophe had assaulted him. Eighteen months later and Christophe was arrested and cautioned for strangling and punching Mr Ennis.

Christophe was said to be upset that Mr Ennis was spending most of his time working. The pair also argued about money but Mr Hillen said this was “just a thread in a deteriorating relationship and not the motive".

Gopal Hooper, defending, said Christophe had loved Mr Ennis dearly and the trial separation was “a crushing blow”. Having come from an unhappy background, Mr Ennis was the first person who had meant anything to him.

Mr Hooper said Christophe also wanted to express his regret to Mr Ennis’s family.

“He appreciates they must loathe and hate him for what he has done but hopes that perhaps in the future they may find in their hearts a chance to forgive him,” he told the court.

Mr Hooper added that Christophe had done all he could to try and avoid trouble when he returned to the flat that day. He had gone to Gravesend police station for advice, and asked the cab driver who dropped him off to wait outside.

“He feels he has destroyed the only person who has ever meant anything to him,” said Mr Hooper.

At the end of the hearing Judge McKinnon also ordered that Mr Mayo be commended for displaying “considerable bravery regardless of the risk”.