A dancer was stabbed to death by her ‘jealous’ boyfriend when she broke up with him after they argued over an episode of Love Island, an inquest has found.
Maddie Durdant-Hollamby, 22, was repeatedly stabbed in the chest by her controlling partner Ben Green, 41, after she went to his house to end their relationship.
An inquest found that he burst into anger and stabbed the ‘beautiful’ Maddie three times on August 27 last year at the property on Slate Drive, in Kettering, Northamptonshire.
Marketing director Mr Green then turned the knife on himself before officers discovered his body in a pool of blood in the kitchen.
Maddie was found dead upstairs in the bedroom with her cell phone next to her and despite the best efforts of medics nothing could be done to save the couple.
According to one of Maddie’s friends, the couple argued for days over an episode of Love Island after she told him she found one of the contestants attractive.
A senior coroner was moved to tears today as details of the tragic murder-suicide were passed to an inquest in Northampton’s Guildhall.
During the hearing, Maddie was told how she broke up with Mr. Green face-to-face instead of texting, because she thought it was the right thing to do.
Maddie Durdant-Hollamby (above), 22, was repeatedly stabbed in the chest by her controlling partner Ben Green, 41, after she went to his house to end their relationship
An inquest heard that Mr Green (pictured) burst into anger and stabbed the ‘pretty’ Maddie three times at the property on Slate Drive, in Kettering, Northamptonshire, on August 27 last year
But within minutes of arriving at the house, she had been stabbed to death, and one of the knife thrusts was so strong it broke off in the wound.
Mr. Green then went downstairs and killed himself. He was found with a deep wound to his neck, which severed his jugular vein, and self-inflicted wounds to his arms.
Maddie’s friends, from Wimblington, Cambridgeshire, told how Mr Green was a ‘jealous’ who regularly checked Maddie’s phone messages.
Friend Abbie Green said they had been rowing over her decision to take her parents on a family vacation to Jamaica and leave him behind.
Abbie said, “I thought he was quite controlling. But he made Maddie happy.”
Maddie told her friends she wasn’t sure what to do with her boyfriend and they were on different paths.
On August 25, the day before Maddie’s death, the trio discussed her options and Maddie decided to visit Mr. Green the next day after work to break up.
She told the group that he “wouldn’t let her do it by texting” and that she felt she owed him an obligation to do it in person.
Marketing director Mr Green then turned the knife on himself before officers discovered his body in a pool of blood in the kitchen. Pictured: Police on the ground in Slate Drave, Kettering
Maddie was found dead upstairs in the bedroom with her cell phone next to her and despite the best efforts of medics nothing could be done to save the couple
The next day at 3:35 PM, she messaged her friends from work saying, “I’m so nervous.”
At 5:51 PM, she asked her friends to call her in an hour if they hadn’t heard from her.
A minute later she texted them saying ‘Love You XX’ and that was the last message she ever sent.
The group never heard from Maddie again and tried to text and call her numerous times that night.
Abbie even tried to call Mr. Green’s phone and left a message at 10:10pm that evening to make sure everything was okay.
The next morning, August 27, they kept trying to get in touch with their friend, but got no response, so they contacted Maddie’s mother Rachel.
At 1:30 p.m. that day, officers were called to the home in Kettering, where he had moved shortly before the murder, to do a health check.
There they found Mr. Green in the kitchen in a pool of blood and Maddie on top of the bed. Both were pronounced dead on the spot.
During the hearing, Maddie was told how Maddie broke up with Mr. Green face-to-face instead of texting because she thought it was the right thing to do.
But within minutes of arriving at the house, she had been stabbed to death, and one of the knife thrusts was so strong it broke off in the wound.
Senior coroner for Northamptonshire Anne Pember collapsed when the inquest was told how the loss of Maddie had left her mother heartbroken.
Rachel Durdant-Hollamby said her daughter grew up with a love for dancing and said the couple had many “cherished mother and daughter moments” before her son Fabian was born.
The court was told that Maddie adored her little brother, even changing his diaper and taking care of him while her mother did household chores.
Rachel said in a court statement: “Maddie was incredibly generous and enjoyed nothing better than spoiling her family and friends.
“I feel like our lives have been destroyed, torn apart. I don’t really see a way forward.
“There is a huge hole in our lives, I want to be a family of four again. She was just perfect.
“I’m trying to keep it together for Fabian. I want the rest of his childhood to be as wonderful as Maddie’s.”
She said she felt bereft helping Maddie choose her wedding dress, sorting out furniture for her house with her, and kissing her babies.
Rachel added, “I just miss her. There’s a huge hole in our lives where Maddie should be. She was just perfect and loving. We want her back.
Mr. Green then went downstairs and killed himself. He was found with a deep wound to his neck, which severed his jugular vein, and self-inflicted wounds on his arms.
Maddie’s friends, from Wimblington, Cambridgeshire, told how Mr Green was a ‘jealous’ who regularly checked Maddie’s phone messages
‘We were best friends. She will always be my best friend. My heart is broken.’
Maddie started meeting Mr Green over Christmas 2019 after they met at the marketing agency where her father Steve Durdant-Hollamby worked.
In fact, while Mr. Green waited for his house to be built, he lived with Maddie’s family for five weeks, befriended her father, and went running with him.
Mother Rachel said she saw nothing wrong with the relationship and hadn’t noticed any abusive behavior.
Taking up a verdict of unlawful killing, senior coroner Anne Pember of Northamptonshire became emotional and had to pause.
She said: ‘In my 27 years as a coroner, I think this is the saddest case I’ve ever heard.
“I can’t imagine your pain at the loss of your daughter. I’m really sorry for your loss.’
After Maddie’s death, a separate investigation into Mr Green’s death was conducted, in which the coroner concluded that he had committed suicide.
He was told during the hearing that he had been married for ten years and had three children before his marriage broke up in 2007.
He had a friendly relationship with his ex-wife who, when she heard of the dead, said, “He wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
His brother Thomas Green told the court: ‘Ben is not violent. I think he would have contacted before doing something like that. It comes as a big shock.’