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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Five years for student who killed | Five years for student who killed |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A 19-year-old who killed her boyfriend on the day she received her A-level results has been sentenced to five years in a young offenders' institute. | A 19-year-old who killed her boyfriend on the day she received her A-level results has been sentenced to five years in a young offenders' institute. |
| Katherine McGrath was convicted two weeks ago of the manslaughter of Alyn Thomas, 22, at her home in Bridgend. | Katherine McGrath was convicted two weeks ago of the manslaughter of Alyn Thomas, 22, at her home in Bridgend. |
| She said she acted in self-defence when she stabbed him with a steak knife. | She said she acted in self-defence when she stabbed him with a steak knife. |
| After the sentence at Cardiff Crown Court, Mr Thomas's father, Stephen, said his death had been "a parent's worst fear" and a "living nightmare". | After the sentence at Cardiff Crown Court, Mr Thomas's father, Stephen, said his death had been "a parent's worst fear" and a "living nightmare". |
| Sentencing McGrath, the judge said arming herself with a knife had been an overreaction. | Sentencing McGrath, the judge said arming herself with a knife had been an overreaction. |
| "Only you know what actually happened in the kitchen of your home but of this I am sure: the jury did not hear the whole truth," said Mr Justice Griffith Williams. | "Only you know what actually happened in the kitchen of your home but of this I am sure: the jury did not hear the whole truth," said Mr Justice Griffith Williams. |
| He said he had no doubt that McGrath "genuinely loved" Alyn Thomas and that she bitterly regretted killing him. | He said he had no doubt that McGrath "genuinely loved" Alyn Thomas and that she bitterly regretted killing him. |
| The judge added: "Clearly you and Alyn Thomas rowed. Whatever the trigger or the cause of that row, my view is that he was not the only one to act aggressively. | The judge added: "Clearly you and Alyn Thomas rowed. Whatever the trigger or the cause of that row, my view is that he was not the only one to act aggressively. |
| Alyn was not a fighter, he was a lover - a lover of life, music, animals, friends and family," said the statement Statement from Alyn Thomas's family | Alyn was not a fighter, he was a lover - a lover of life, music, animals, friends and family," said the statement Statement from Alyn Thomas's family |
| "I accept that you did not intend to kill or cause him really serious injury and I am prepared to accept that you were provoked in the non-legal sense." | |
| Stephen Thomas, the victim's father, said in an impact statement which he read out in court: "It is a parent's worst fear - receiving a phone call in the early hours of the morning saying that your child has been admitted to hospital, but then to be told that your child has been stabbed, it turns into a living nightmare. | Stephen Thomas, the victim's father, said in an impact statement which he read out in court: "It is a parent's worst fear - receiving a phone call in the early hours of the morning saying that your child has been admitted to hospital, but then to be told that your child has been stabbed, it turns into a living nightmare. |
| "I shall never forget walking into the relative room at Bridgend hospital and having Lynne (Mr Thomas's mother) greeting me by screaming 'he's dead' and then breaking down in floods of tears." | "I shall never forget walking into the relative room at Bridgend hospital and having Lynne (Mr Thomas's mother) greeting me by screaming 'he's dead' and then breaking down in floods of tears." |
| He said the loss of their son had devastated his family and added: "I could not imagine the pain I had to experience when I was having to choose flowers and hymns for a funeral service and having to choose clothes to dress Alyn in his coffin rather than having the honour of taking him shopping for a suit for his wedding." | He said the loss of their son had devastated his family and added: "I could not imagine the pain I had to experience when I was having to choose flowers and hymns for a funeral service and having to choose clothes to dress Alyn in his coffin rather than having the honour of taking him shopping for a suit for his wedding." |
| McGrath had been cleared of murder in the trial at Cardiff Crown Court but was found guilty of manslaughter. | McGrath had been cleared of murder in the trial at Cardiff Crown Court but was found guilty of manslaughter. |
| Mr Thomas's family had criticised her for not giving evidence during the trial, saying they were "shocked and dismayed". | Mr Thomas's family had criticised her for not giving evidence during the trial, saying they were "shocked and dismayed". |
| During the trial, Roger Thomas QC, prosecuting, told jurors McGrath had killed Mr Thomas, of Cymmer, Neath Port Talbot, during an argument after a night out drinking with friends. | During the trial, Roger Thomas QC, prosecuting, told jurors McGrath had killed Mr Thomas, of Cymmer, Neath Port Talbot, during an argument after a night out drinking with friends. |
| Katherine McGrath, the woman with red hair, said she had acted in self defence | |
| The jury heard police interviews played during the trial in which she said she was trying to stop Mr Thomas attacking her. | The jury heard police interviews played during the trial in which she said she was trying to stop Mr Thomas attacking her. |
| Mr Thomas had two previous convictions for assault after fighting in a nightclub, the court was told. | Mr Thomas had two previous convictions for assault after fighting in a nightclub, the court was told. |
| On the morning of 20 August, the pair had gone to Brynteg Comprehensive School in Bridgend to collect McGrath's A-level results. | On the morning of 20 August, the pair had gone to Brynteg Comprehensive School in Bridgend to collect McGrath's A-level results. |
| They had spent part of the day drinking and the jury heard they had argued after a woman colleague of Mr Thomas offered to buy him another drink while they were out. | They had spent part of the day drinking and the jury heard they had argued after a woman colleague of Mr Thomas offered to buy him another drink while they were out. |
| But they later took a taxi to McGrath's house in Brackla. | But they later took a taxi to McGrath's house in Brackla. |
| McGrath told police that once inside the house, her boyfriend's behaviour changed. | McGrath told police that once inside the house, her boyfriend's behaviour changed. |
| She claimed he pushed her around the living room before she took the steak knife from a kitchen drawer to "scare him away". | She claimed he pushed her around the living room before she took the steak knife from a kitchen drawer to "scare him away". |
| 'Loss and pain' | 'Loss and pain' |
| After sentencing, Mr Thomas's family said in a written statement issued outside the court: "The prison sentence imposed on Kat McGrath today is insufficient for the utter devastation she had inflicted on our family when she killed our beloved and beautiful boy Alyn last year." | After sentencing, Mr Thomas's family said in a written statement issued outside the court: "The prison sentence imposed on Kat McGrath today is insufficient for the utter devastation she had inflicted on our family when she killed our beloved and beautiful boy Alyn last year." |
| The family said its "sentence" would continue for long after McGrath was released and added: "Our loss and pain will be taken to the grave". | The family said its "sentence" would continue for long after McGrath was released and added: "Our loss and pain will be taken to the grave". |
| "Alyn was not a fighter, he was a lover - a lover of life, music, animals, friends and family," said the statement. | "Alyn was not a fighter, he was a lover - a lover of life, music, animals, friends and family," said the statement. |
| "His popularity and much affection in which he was held in by his peer group and others has been expressed by over 400 of them attending his funeral and the RIP page on Facebook, set up in his name, speaks volumes to the type of person Alyn really was. | "His popularity and much affection in which he was held in by his peer group and others has been expressed by over 400 of them attending his funeral and the RIP page on Facebook, set up in his name, speaks volumes to the type of person Alyn really was. |
| "We strongly believe that, when the most precious thing in life is lost, all concerned should be made to take the witness stand to give an account of what exactly happened." | "We strongly believe that, when the most precious thing in life is lost, all concerned should be made to take the witness stand to give an account of what exactly happened." |