Lee Mercer, a man described as "pure evil" by his victim, has died in prison. Mercer, 45, was serving a four-year-seven-month sentence for strangling his ex-girlfriend and threatening to kill her and her children.
Attack details
Preston Crown Court heard that Mercer, formerly of Beechtrees, Skelmersdale, attacked the woman on two occasions four days apart in October 2024. During the incidents, he strangled her, threatened to kill her, and asked her to choose which of her children he should kill first.
Prosecutor Andrew MacIntosh said Mercer became aggressive when drinking and taking cocaine during summer 2024. He damaged property and destroyed photographs of the woman with her grandmother. On one occasion, he threatened suicide as a 'punishment'.
Second attack
On October 16, Mercer called the woman downstairs because he could not get the TV to work. He put her in a choke hold, strangled her throughout the night, struck her face with a vodka bottle, and held a large kitchen knife to her throat. He later calmed down and promised never to hurt her again.
On October 19, Mercer waved scissors at her, saying "you're going to die," and punched her ribs. He threatened to kill her children unless she bought cocaine for him within half an hour.
Victim's statement
The woman reported the attacks to police the next day. In a victim impact statement, she said: "I was literally living in hell. He knew this. He told me I had met the devil referring to himself. I now know he is pure evil." She described suffering PTSD, waking up screaming and crying, and feeling that Mercer is still in bed next to her.
Death in prison
After sentencing, Mercer was transferred to HMP Wymott near Leyland, where he died on July 14 this year. A Prisons and Probation Ombudsman spokesperson said: "An independent investigation into Lee Mercer's death at HMP Wymott on 14 July 2026 has begun. We will make our final report public after the inquest concludes."
