Torch murder victim 'no bag lady'

Jennifer Kiely vanished six years ago, her former partner said

The ex-partner of a murdered woman who was stabbed and burnt in a seaside shelter said she was not just a homeless bag lady and will be missed.

Jennifer Kiely had been sexually assaulted, stabbed 16 times and burnt in Eastbourne, Sussex, on Saturday.

Her former partner and father of her three children said he wanted people to see her as a young, attractive and loving lady with a family missing her.

Wanting to remain anonymous, he said: "I am absolutely gutted by our loss."

He said Ms Kiely's children were hoping to be reunited with her in the "near future".

"This will never happen now and the children, her family and myself are deeply hurt by the news of her death," he said.

He and 35-year-old Ms Kiely had three children together - a 15-year-old daughter and two sons aged 12 and 11.

We are all in shock and deeply saddened to know we will never ever see her again Jennifer Kiely's former partner

"Unfortunately she had developed some problems with mental illness, which resulted in her vanishing six years ago and not keeping in contact with any of her family or children," he continued.

"Although some attempts to locate her were made by her family and myself, we were unsuccessful.

"I am writing this so people will visualise that she was a young, attractive and loving lady with children and family that are missing her and not just a homeless bag lady that will not be missed.

Police said Ms Kiely was often seen on the seafront at night

"We are all in shock and deeply saddened to know we will never ever see her again, and to learn the horrific way she was murdered."

Council workers spotted Ms Kiely's body in the shelter at the Holywell end of Eastbourne seafront at 0515 GMT on Saturday.

Police said she occasionally slept rough but also lived in different houses and locations, having moved to Eastbourne after originally coming from south London.

Detectives particularly want to speak to the driver of car that swerved to avoid a man walking in the middle of Compton Street, near the seafront, at 0300 GMT on Saturday.

Officers will be patrolling Eastbourne seafront on Friday night hoping to talk to people who may have seen something.

Police described the murder as "frenzied and macabre".