Stephanie Marie, 19, was murdered by Jason Flore, 26, at Crawley railway station on August 18.
She has been described as a “much loved daughter, sister and mother” who “enjoyed sports, music and especially playing the guitar”.
British Transport Police senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Sam Blackburn gave a statement following Flore’s sentencing outside Hove Trial Centre.
He was accompanied by Stephanie’s mother, Cathy Marie.
He said: “Stephanie was a young woman with her whole life ahead of her to enjoy.
“This has been stolen away by a controlling and coercive partner, Jason Flore.
“She was a much loved daughter, sister and mother and she enjoyed sports, music and especially playing the guitar.
“She had ambitions of becoming a hairdresser.
“The outcome of this result is through countless hours of investigation and I do thank everyone for all their help to ensure that Stephanie’s killer can be held accountable for what he did.
Stephanie Marie (Image: Family handout) “It is important that we remember Stephanie’s name today and not his.
“While Stephanie’s verdict will not replace the tragic loss felt by the family and all those who love Stephanie, it has ensured that justice has been served and I hope the outcome helps them find some peace after such a devastating loss.”
Floral tributes were left for Stephanie at the scene of the murder.
At the time of the incident, Stephanie’s family said: “Stephanie was a much-loved daughter, sister and mother.
“We are devastated that her young life has ended in this way.
“She had her whole life ahead of her. At school she excelled at sport and loved basketball, football and gymnastics.
“We will miss her so much. Life will never be the same.”
Today, February 20, Flore was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years.
The pair, both originally from Mauritius, met when Stephanie was 14 and Flore was 21 and she “fell under his influence”, having his baby when she was 17.
They ended up sleeping rough together in a tent in the disused station car park when he killed her in an “explosion of violence fuelled by anger and alcohol”.
At his sentencing today at Hove Crown Court, a statement from her mother Cathy said she fainted when her son told her Stephanie was dead.
The statement read out in court said: “I lost consciousness on the spot and afterwards I did not stop crying.
“The last time I saw Stephanie was when she came to my place to take a shower.”
Jason Flore (Image: British Transport Police) She said that when she lost her daughter, her “life completely changed”.
“She had all her life ahead of her”, Ms Marie added.
“I cry for Stephanie every day. I have nightmares about Stephanie every day.”
Throughout his trial, Flore denied killing Stephanie, claiming he was not present at the time of the killing and accusing two other people instead.
Flore was found guilty of the murder at Hove Crown Court on February 19.
He did not attend yesterday’s sentencing.
Judge Jeremy Gold KC said Flore has shown a “total lack of respect” towards Ms Marie and her “grieving” family and friends for failing to attend his sentencing.
He said: “She met defendant Jason Flore when she was just a 14-year-old child and he would have been 21.
“She clearly fell under his influence.
“By the age of 17 she was pregnant by you.
READ MORE: Man who was stabbed to death has been described as a ‘good guy’
“There appears to have been a steady deterioration in your relationship over time although she remained obsessed with you.
“The background to this offence is clearly one of controlling behaviour by an older man of a vulnerable teenager.
“Your relationship, in more recent times, included casual violence between the two of you and if she sought to assert herself in any way you would respond with violence.
“By the time of her murder, you had successfully drawn her away from her immediate family and you were living together in a tent in an uncovered and disused car park adjacent to Crawley railway station.
“On the day before Stephanie’s murder you were both at a barbecue in that car park.
“A substantial amount of alcohol was clearly consumed through the day and the following night by both of you.
“At around 7am on Sunday, August 18, last year, a passing commuter saw a confrontation between you and Stephanie in the car park.
“Stephanie was holding a knife and you were both behaving aggressively towards each other.
“Within a few moments you stabbed her in the chest with that knife, penetrating her heart and aorta – an injury which inevitably caused her death.
“I have no doubt that you had formed the intention to kill her in that explosion of violence fuelled by anger and alcohol.”
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