The killer was aged 21 when he fatally stabbed a teenager in the neck at a McDonald’s in a separate murder.
Shaine March, 47, of Surrey Quays, London, stabbed Alana Odysseos, 32, 23 times at her home in Walthamstow on 22 July last year.
She was in the early stages of pregnancy with her third child when she died from the stab wounds.
March admitted her murder on the seventh day of his trial after an expert no longer supported his claim of diminished responsibility.
Jurors in his trial were not told that March had been convicted of murder before.
March was aged 21 when he fatally stabbed 17-year-old Andre Drummond in the neck at a McDonald’s restaurant in Denmark Hill, south London, in January 2000, it can be revealed.
Following his release on a life licence in early 2013, he was recalled to jail later that year after he stamped on the stomach of another pregnant girlfriend in July and was released again in February 2018.
March also had convictions for assault and criminal damage in 1995.
The court was told Ms Odysseos knew about March’s murder conviction and safeguarding checks had been made by probation services.
But when the defendant said their relationship had ended amicably, no further checks were made.
Hours before killing Ms Odysseos, March had argued with about whether to abort their unborn child, with the victim heard to say: “I don’t want to kill my baby.”
On Friday, Mr Justice Murray jailed March for life with a minimum term of 42 years.
The senior judge rejected calls from Ms Odysseos’s family and the prosecution for a whole life order but noted that, given his age, March may never be released.
March had appeared in court by videolink from Belmarsh prison, having initially refused to come to the Old Bailey.
He made no reaction as members of Ms Odysseos’s family told of the devastating impact of her murder.Mother Karen Cronin said: “Alana, my beautiful kind and loving daughter, left this earth in the most callous and brutal way imaginable.
“The person who has done this to my daughter – who I don’t think deserves the respect of using his name – is evil and a coward. Why did he have to resort to the level of violence he used?
“The anger I feel towards him doesn’t feel Christian so I can no longer go to Church. I will never have forgiveness in my heart.”“I want him to die in prison. He should never be let out.”
Father Alan Yates said his daughter was a “happy-go-lucky” much loved mother who was “kind and considerate” and would stick up for what she believed in.
He said something changed after she met March and she became a “timid vulnerable person who was not our Alana”.
He said: “I hope a sentence is given that means Shaine March will never cause another family the pain and loss we are suffering. It is unimaginable and we will never get over our loss.
“Every day I wonder why he didn’t walk away. Alana was pregnant with his child. This meant nothing to him.”
