A woman who caused the death of her partner in a hotel room in what police described as a prolonged incident lasting around two hours has been sentenced to life in prison.

James Self, 47, passed away in hospital six weeks after he was seriously injured by Polly Murphy at the Smugglers Cove hotel in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, in November 2023.

Murphy, 42, of Hornsey Lane Gardens in Highgate, London, had repeatedly physically harmed Mr Self over the course of the two-hour incident.

CCTV cameras captured her leaving the hotel room alone on the night of 8 November, while Mr Self remained unresponsive inside.

It was not until around 18 hours later that she contacted emergency services, telling call handlers that Mr Self “may have a leg injury.”

She was initially charged with intent to cause serious injury, but following Mr Self’s passing on 21 December, the charge was upgraded to reflect responsibility for his death.

When questioned by police about whether their relationship had ever become physical, Murphy declined to respond, answering “no comment” to all questions.

After being found guilty at Chelmsford Crown Court in January, Murphy was sentenced at the same court on Wednesday to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 15 years.

In a victim statement read in court, Mr Self’s mother, Ashe, said: “The intense grief of losing James and learning in court about the verbal, emotional and physical harm he endured is beyond words.

“The lack of compassion shown after his final injuries is imprinted on my mind and will stay with me forever.”

She also thanked those “who stood up for James and honoured him,” and expressed gratitude to everyone who supported her son.

Reflecting on the sentence, Det Anthony Kopf said that although “this outcome can never make up for the loss James’ family have gone through,” he hoped it would provide some sense of closure.

“James’ family and his mother Ashe have conducted themselves with dignity in the face of extremely difficult evidence. They heard how James had been subjected to ongoing mistreatment, both physical and emotional, well before that night in Clacton,” he said.

“This case is a reminder that relationship-related harm can affect anyone, including men. No one should feel ashamed to seek support. Authorities are here to assist and guide anyone experiencing harm, regardless of gender.”