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Sharon Edwards convicted of murdering husband by stabbing him through the heart | Sharon Edwards convicted of murdering husband by stabbing him through the heart |
(35 minutes later) | |
A woman who stabbed her husband through the heart at their home has been found guilty of his murder. | A woman who stabbed her husband through the heart at their home has been found guilty of his murder. |
Sharon Edwards, 42, murdered criminal lawyer David Edwards, 51, at their home in Chorley, Lancashire, two months after they married in Las Vegas in June last year. | Sharon Edwards, 42, murdered criminal lawyer David Edwards, 51, at their home in Chorley, Lancashire, two months after they married in Las Vegas in June last year. |
Mr Edwards was the victim of "forceful bullying" and had suffered at the hands of Edwards during the "turbulent" year-long relationship in which he was regularly beaten and belittled, the trial heard. | |
It culminated in him being fatally stabbed in the heart with a kitchen knife on August 23 last year. | |
Friends and colleagues warned the "besotted" solicitor to leave domineering and possessive Edwards after he began turning up on the court circuit with black eyes, scratches and bite marks - even disclosing to one that his wife had hit him with a coffee table and an ashtray. | |
The court heard that part of Edwards's rage was because her new husband had been made redundant and was later sacked, having previously held a partnership status at Stanley H Cross & Co which was to be taken over by Kevills. | |
The trial heard that the killing was to be the second attack in as many successive days in which Edwards had used a knife in anger against Mr Edwards - who she knew would never fight back or call the police. | |
After he was found dead, Mr Edwards's bruised and cut body was to further reveal the extent of the regular assaults. | |
It showed 60 external injuries, of which 30 were incised or prod wounds, including stab wounds to his thigh, knee, finger and a shallow wound to his scalp. | |
Edwards claimed his injuries were a result of her alcoholic husband falling over when in drink. | |
In her defence, she claimed Mr Edwards walked into the knife she was holding in a row about tax credits only hours after they returned from an all-expenses paid Spanish holiday. | |
The jury, which began deliberating on Monday afternoon, disbelieved her version of events and unanimously convicted her of murder. | |
Before sentencing, the court heard that Edwards had previous convictions and cautions related to domestic abuse including a 2004 attack on a former partner who was bitten on the forearm and punched to the side of the face. | |
Mr Justice Davis said Mr Edwards was "a hugely valued member of the community in Chorley and elsewhere". | |
He read out part of a letter he received from a magistrate who sat in Chorley where Mr Edwards would regularly represent clients. | |
It stated: "Over the years we have come to know David well. He was a very engaging person with a wry grin. | |
"He was always proud of his reputation and integrity as an officer of the court. | |
"His tragic death has affected every member of the Chorley bench, and I am sure the wider legal fraternity, very deeply. | |
"David was held in extremely high regard by every member of the Chorley bench." | |
Addressing the defendant, the judge said: "It is clear that was a view widely held and your bullying of him, which ended with this tragic death, has robbed people of a decent man. | |
"You are someone who has attacked people in the past. You have a bullying and violent nature." | |
He said he was "quite satisfied" that it was not the first time she had attacked Mr Edwards with a knife and that over the preceding months she had assaulted him on more than one occasion. | |
The judge added: "This deadly attack was the culmination of long-term bullying by you on this respected member of the community." | |
He said he accepted that she did not intend to kill him but that she certainly meant to cause really serious harm. | |
Edwards showed no emotion on delivery of the verdict or when she was led from the dock. | |
Her barrister, David Fish QC, said the mother-of-four was "at a very low ebb" and had "lost everything" |
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