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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Man guilty of murdering his wife | Man guilty of murdering his wife |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A man who murdered his wife while on licence from prison for wounding his ex-partner has been jailed for life. | |
| Simon Downer, 32, from Wilnecote, in Staffordshire, was convicted after his eight-year-old stepdaughter gave evidence against him during the trial. | Simon Downer, 32, from Wilnecote, in Staffordshire, was convicted after his eight-year-old stepdaughter gave evidence against him during the trial. |
| She managed to disarm him before he grabbed another knife and stabbed his 40-year-old wife Tracey last June. | She managed to disarm him before he grabbed another knife and stabbed his 40-year-old wife Tracey last June. |
| The girl told Birmingham Crown Court Downer had then told her: "That's what you get if you push it with me." | The girl told Birmingham Crown Court Downer had then told her: "That's what you get if you push it with me." |
| Downer was ordered to serve a minimum of 20 years before being eligible for parole. | |
| Violent argument | Violent argument |
| The jury was told he had met his wife after absconding from an open prison in 2007 where he was serving a six-year sentence for wounding his ex-partner. | |
| He went back to jail and the couple married the day after he was released in April last year. | He went back to jail and the couple married the day after he was released in April last year. |
| In video evidence to the court, his stepdaughter, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she was woken up last June by the sound of a violent argument. | In video evidence to the court, his stepdaughter, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she was woken up last June by the sound of a violent argument. |
| She saw her stepfather attacking her mother and managed to grab a knife from his hand. | She saw her stepfather attacking her mother and managed to grab a knife from his hand. |
| He then found another, larger, knife in the kitchen with which he murdered his wife. | He then found another, larger, knife in the kitchen with which he murdered his wife. |
| Staffordshire Probation Service, which was supervising Downer, said it had been in regular contact with the couple and there was "no indication" that he posed a risk to Mrs Downer. | |
| A spokesman said: "He undertook relevant programmes while in prison to address his offending behaviour. | |
| "He complied with all post-release licence requirements, including regular appointments for supervision by his offender manager. | |
| "Tracey Downer was aware of Simon Downer's previous conviction." |