Brutal killing leaves legacy of untold harm

Relatives of grandmother Jill Nevitt have suffered 'untold harm' as a result of her brutal killing, a judge has told the man who stabbed her to death.

Her ex-partner Brian Woodmass, 59, admitted killing Mrs Nevitt at the home they had shared in Orchard Street in Oswestry on December 14 last year and was jailed for 12 years at Stafford Crown Court yesterday.

He admitted the manslaughter of his 45-year-old ex-partner on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

The court heard the former soldier used two knives to stab Mrs Nevitt 28 times, causing 16 substantial wounds to her chest, neck, back and abdomen.

Sentencing Woodmass, Judge Simon Tonking told him: "It is an offence which is plainly very grave indeed, obviously for the loss of a human life which was needlessly caused, but also because of the extreme violence with which that happened, and by the moments, at the very least, of terror which it must have caused to your victim.

"It has also caused untold harm to Jill Nevitt's family.

"As to that Mrs Nevitt's daughters have written of their anger, confusion, devastatation, disbelief, hurt and sadness.

"Her daughter Becqui Nevitt has an enduring picture of her mother's last moments of life in her mind's eye. She speaks of many lives and hearts, those of her mother's children and grandchildren torn apart.

"Her daughter Donna Nevitt speaks of her lack of trust for anyone, having had her and her family's trust in you so cruelly betrayed.

"Her daughter Nikki was 37 weeks pregnant at the time of her mother's death and still feels lost without her mother's support in starting out her own life as a mother."

The court heard Woodmass was depressed and was suffering post traumatic stress from his days in the army in the lead up to the killing.