A Croydon man who murdered his ex-girlfriend after a childcare payment dispute has been jailed for life.

Mark Morris, 39, Eylewood Road in Thornton Heath, had earlier threatened to kill Emma Day stating that "her child would have no mother” after she reopened a child maintenance claim against him.

Morris, who had been asked to pay £40 a week, stabbed her to death on a Thornton Heath street, on May 25, where the 33-year-old mum was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Old Bailey heard how Miss Day, of West Norwood, had been in a bitter dispute over child maintenance payments with Morris, who she had been in a relationship with for eight years, before they split in March 2016.

The following month, Miss Day, a former receptionist at King’s College Hospital, told police Morris was harassing her.

Sarah Whitehouse QC, prosecuting, said: “She said that he had been sending abusive text messages to her and calling her repeatedly.”

In November 2016, Miss Day made an application to the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) for financial support from Morris.

Ms Whitehouse said that Morris complained that he would end up homeless if he was forced to pay childcare.

He was told the next day he would have to contribute £40 a week to his daughter’s maintenance.

The Old Bailey heard how Miss Day had told the CMS: “He (Morris) basically threatened my life and turned up at my workplace and said that if I don’t cancel it then he’s gonna kill me.”

On December 16, Morris sent his brother a Whatsapp message admitting threatening to kill Miss Day.

In early 2017, Miss Day halted the claim and messages between November and early 2017 suggested he was occasionally providing money. However, Miss Day then re-opened the claim.

Morris texted her on January 3, writing: “I’ll go prison before they get a penny from me. You just love making a bad situation worse.

Ms Whitehouse said: “Miss Day called her sister to report that the defendant had threatened to kill her, stating that her child would have no mother.”

After pleading guilty to murder last week, he was sentenced at The Old Bailey today (December 1) and will serve a minimum of 21 years in prison.