MAN JAILED FOR KILLING PARTNER DURING NAIL-CUTTING ROW
A 48-year-old man named Mark Dunning was sentenced to ten years behind bars after being convicted of manslaughter in relation to the death of his partner, Catherine Kirton.The fatal incident occurred at their home in Chestnut Square, Stockton-on-Tees.
Dunning was found to be intoxicated at three times the legal limit when he engaged in a heated dispute with Ms Kirton, who had been his partner for a quarter of a century.
The court was told that the argument began when Ms Kirton, mother of his two children, struck him on the back of the head while he was cutting his nails with a knife.
Following this, Dunning lashed out in self-defense, but the jury concluded that he was unaware he was wielding a knife during the assault.
Prosecutors stated that Ms Kirton died after sustaining five stab wounds to her stomach, arms, and legs.
Dunning was convicted of manslaughter due to provocation and received a ten-year prison sentence.
The sentencing judge, Judge David Hodson, noted that the couple's relationship had been strained by several factors, including the death of Ms Kirton's mother and financial issues.
Additionally, Dunning had consumed a significant amount of alcohol on the night of the incident.
Judge Hodson described the case as a tragic outcome of a confrontation that escalated after Dunning’s heavy drinking and the provocation he experienced, which ultimately led to her death.
He emphasized that these circumstances contributed to the tragic loss of Ms Kirton’s life.
