Oswestry knifeman gets 12 years for killing lover
Thursday 22nd December 2011, 1:34PM GMT.
A former soldier who killed his ex-partner at their Shropshire home in a ‘frenzied’ knife attack was this afternoon jailed for 12 years.
Brian Woodmass, aged 59, used two knives to stab 45-year-old Jill Nevitt 28 times on December 14 last year, causing 16 substantial wounds to her chest, neck, back and abdomen.
Mr Rob Edwards, prosecuting, told Stafford Crown Court that Woodmass left the knives embedded in his victim’s throat and neck before leaving their home in Orchard Street, Oswestry, and going to his son’s home.
A few hours later he returned, placed a duvet on Mrs Nevitt’s body, took tablets and prepared a noose to kill himself. He called police to tell them what he had done but before he could kill himself officers arrived at the address.
He admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
The attack came just weeks after Mrs Nevitt had told him their relationship was over, Mr Edwards said.
He said the couple had been arguing over money after Woodmass lost his job and there had been evidence of domestic violence. Woodmass also believed Mrs Nevitt had been unfaithful.
Mr Mark Wall, for Woodmass, said he suffered from post traumatic stress from army service in the 1960s and 1970s. He said his client had sought psychiatric help weeks before the attack and was a loving father and grandfather.
Woodmass had asked his family not to come to court because he was ashamed.
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