‘Remorseless’ killer stabbed girlfriend in garlic bread row

Jamie Ellis, 18, stabbed his on-off girlfriend Alami Gotip, 22, more than 30 times at her home in the Dedridge area of Livingston while her young children were asleep upstairs.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard 18-year-old Ellis snapped because she had been “moaning at him because he had not made garlic bread for tea”.

He later told police he felt their relationship was coming to an end and said: “I love her that much I can’t possibly imagine her with anyone else and I just thought f*** it.”

Ellis, who is being held at Polmont Young Offenders’ Institution, now faces a life sentence after pleading guilty yesterday to murdering Ms Gotip on May 25 this year.

After the hearing, Detective Inspector Phil Gachagan said: “The brutal violence Alami Gotip was subjected to prior to her death is testament to the violent and remorseless character of James Ellis.

“Despite being in a relationship with Miss Gotip and although her children were sleeping within the property, Ellis showed her no compassion during the attack and inflicted several serious injuries upon her. His guilty plea reflects the comprehensive work carried out by Lothian and Borders Police to build a murder case against him and he will undoubtedly face a lengthy prison sentence.”

At the time of the offence, unemployed Ellis had been in a relationship with Ms Gotip for seven months.

Speaking outside court, Ms Gotip’s cousin, Robert McKenna, 31, said: “They should bring back the death penalty.”

The court heard that earlier on the day of the murder, Ellis had been taking Valium tablets and smoking several cannabis joints with friends.

After the murder, Ellis, crying and with blood and cuts on his hand, went to his cousin’s house and told him: “I don’t know what I’ve done.”

Police found Ms Gotip’s body on the couch in the living room, having suffered multiple wounds to her neck and wrist.

Her two children were found asleep in their bedrooms upstairs.

Ms Gotip, of Nigel Rise, Livingston, worked at the Inland Revenue and was described in court as a “bubbly and out-going” person who loved life.

The court heard the “caring and supportive” woman helped to raise two of her siblings, who had health problems, and also helped to look after her mother.

Advocate depute Susanne Tanner, prosecuting, told the court: “Two very young children have been left without their mother and, in the case of the deceased’s younger daughter, without any memory of her.”

Ellis is due to be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on October 5.

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