The fiancée of a murdered Sheffield man has told a court that she wishes she could ‘turn back time’ as his killer was jailed for life.
42-year-old Amazon delivery driver Claudiu-Carol Kondor died after his van was crashed into parked cars as he tried to stop it from being stolen as he delivered parcels in Farnley, Leeds on 20 August last year.
Mark Ross, 32, was today sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 30 years after being found guilty of murder at Leeds Crown Court.
In her victim impact statement, Mariana Gheorghe said: “I don’t know how I will live without him. Everything seems so difficult to me. I lost the person with whom I planned my whole future.
“With the loss of Claudiu, his desire to work was also lost because he loved his delivery job, the dream of getting married, buying a house in England, retiring and living a quiet life died.
“Both me and Claudiu are the kind of people who like to work and built their lives and dreams from honest work and on their own.
“Now I see myself forced to return to Romania, with a broken heart, alone without Claudiu, with empty hands, without a plan for the future, without dreams, without desires, a new life that I have to start from scratch.
“To Claudiu, life has been beautiful since I met you, you left such a big mark on my heart that I feel you next to me wherever I go. I miss you, I miss us.”
In the moments before his death, Mr Kondor clung onto the open passenger door as Ross swerved the van through residential streets.
Shocked witnesses heard him shouting for help before the fatal crash.
After the crash, Ross sped away in the van and arranged for it to be stripped of its contents.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector James Entwistle said: “It is truly heart-breaking that the life of an honest hard-working man has been snatched away by the cruel and callous actions of Mark Ross.
“Through the hard work, dedication and commitment of everyone involved, from those initial attending officers, the public providing information and CCTV, to the analytical and support staff and the detectives there throughout the investigation to its conclusion at court, we have been able to provide justice for Claudiu and his family.”