The brother of a woman strangled by her ex-boyfriend has told an inquest how his murdered sister was his "shining light".
Maria Stubbings, 50, was throttled with a dog lead by Marc Chivers at her home in Pitfield, Chelmsford, in December 2008.
Despite Chivers only being released from a German jail for murdering his previous girlfriend months before meeting Maria, he was not monitored in the same was as if he had been released under the English probation system.
Her brother Manuel Fernandez gave evidence at the first day of a potentially six week into the circumstances of Ms Stubbing's death that heard from three witnesses, also including Maria's GP, Dr Soumya Lanka.
In an emotional statement from the witness box, Mr Fernandez described his "super loving, intelligent and caring sister" who he said had "made me who I am today", helping to raise him along with their mother as a child in Billericay.
"She was a happy go lucky person, non-judgemental and a very beautiful person" said Mr Fernandez..
"She was more than a sister, she was very motherly and one of the greatest influences in my life because she was a very caring individual.
"Probably because we came from a broken home, she had a dream of starting a family, she just wanted to be loved and help people and because she was so giving, she gave everybody a chance and looked for the good in everyone."
'Very sensitive to life's troubles'
Retired pathologist Dr David Rouse told Chelmsford Coroner's Court he believed Maria died closer to the last time she was seen alive on December 16, rather than three days later when she was discovered by police officers under a pile of coats in her downstairs toilet.
Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray, also heard during the four-and-a-half-hour hearing that Maria Stubbings had visited her GP on five separate occasions in the lead up to her death, saying she was having problems following a relationship breakdown.
The mother-of-two had been prescribed a number of anti-depressant and anti-psychotic drugs as well as pills to help her sleep since 1995 and had spent time at the Linden Centre mental health unit in Chelmsford .
"She was not a depressive person, she was very happy, she would always crack a joke or do something funny, but I remember times when she was low and as a brother I would be there for her," added Manuel.
"But she was also a pillar of strength and although it might sound contradictory, she was very sensitive to life's troubles and maybe could not brush off these things, like other people can."
The court also heard that a panic alarm had been installed in Maria's home. But it was then removed when Chivers was jailed on remand for common and sexual assault on her.
Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, also made a surprise appearance to lend support to the family during the afternoon session, sitting at the back of the room watching the proceedings.
The inquest continues.
