MARK STEPHENS SENTENCED FOR MURDER OF MOTHER IN PENCOED

Mark Stephens, a 44-year-old man, was convicted of murder after he attacked and fatally stabbed his mother, Rita Stephens, 67, with a carving knife at their home in Pencoed on 19 June 2015. The incident followed a drinking session during which Rita criticized his management of the family furniture business. Stephens admitted that he 'snapped' during an argument over business debts but claimed to have little or no memory of what happened afterward. Prosecutor Roger Thomas QC described the attack as 'vicious and brutal,' noting that Ms. Stephens suffered 38 wounds. Despite initially admitting to manslaughter, Stephens denied murder, but the court found him guilty of the crime. The judge sentenced him to a minimum of 20 years in prison. During the investigation, Stephens told his family that his mother was 'sick in the toilet' when they checked on her, and he also confessed to hearing her say 'get out' before the attack. The judge commented that Stephens displayed only self-pity and showed no remorse for killing his mother. His family expressed their grief and unity in the face of the tragedy, describing Rita as a 'beautiful person' and the matriarch of their family.