Published by Robert L Senior Reporter on Friday 14th March 2025, at 15:25hrs
A Leeds man has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 30 years for the murder of delivery driver Claudiu-Carol Kondor.
Mark Ross, 32, was found guilty of murder by a majority verdict at Leeds Crown Court following a trial.
The tragic incident occurred on August 20th last year when Ross stole Mr. Kondor’s delivery van from Alliance Street, Armley, while the 42-year-old was making a delivery.
Mr. Kondor, desperately trying to stop the theft, clung to the open passenger door as Ross sped away.
Ross then deliberately crashed the van into a parked car on Heights Drive, Farnley, causing catastrophic injuries to Mr. Kondor, which resulted in his death.
The case was investigated by West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, who meticulously reviewed approximately 110 hours of CCTV footage, recovered 368 exhibits, and took 113 witness statements.
Detective Chief Inspector James Entwistle, the Senior Investigating Officer, expressed his deep sorrow, stating,
“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, we have been able to provide justice for Claudiu and his family.”
During the sentencing, Claudiu-Carol Kondor’s fiancée, Mariana Gheorghe, delivered a moving victim impact statement, detailing the devastating impact of his death.
“I don’t know how I will live without him. Everything seems so difficult to me. I’m still shocked and confused by everything that happened, and I miss him very much,” she said.
Ms. Gheorghe described how their plans for a life together in England, including marriage and buying a home, were shattered by Ross’s actions.
“I lost the person with whom I planned my whole future,” she said. She also expressed her feeling that she was now forced to leave the country they had built a life in, and return to Romania.
In her statement, she emphasized the hard-working and honest nature of both herself and Claudiu.
“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.”
She concluded by saying she wished Ross would “learn his lesson that in the current situation, those who suffer the most are not to blame for his lifestyle, but these people pay with their lives and through their suffering a price they did not deserve to pay.”
The court’s decision to impose a life sentence with a minimum term of 30 years reflects the severity of Ross’s crime and the profound loss suffered by Mr. Kondor’s family and loved ones.
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