Husband 'stabbed ex-wife to death as she prepared to celebrate end of marriage with divorce party'
By
Paul SimsLast updated at 2:11 AM on 07th April 2010
Katrina Jones was 'stabbed to death by her ex-husband as she prepared to celebrate the end of their marriage with a divorce party'
A jilted husband stabbed his ex-wife to death as she prepared to celebrate the end of their ten year marriage with a 'divorce party', a court heard yesterday.
Brian Jones, 63, attacked her after seeing balloons tied to their former matrimonial home and a banner declaring: 'The Party's Here'.
Inside the house his 34-year-old ex-wife had put up further balloons and streamers, alongside another banner which read 'Katrina's Divorce Party. Free At Last'.
Jones, who was staying with a friend next door, said he finally snapped after seeing a photograph of himself in the house beside the message 'Pin the Tail on the X'.
He returned to his friend's house next door, picked up a 12 inch kitchen knife and stabbed her nine times in the chest and three times in the arm.
He then confessed in a dramatic 999 call. The body of Mrs Jones was found with a streamer draped across it, the court was told.
Her ex-husband denies murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility and claims he was provoked by her celebration on November 27.
Her murder followed months of bitter rows as the couple's ten-year marriage collapsed.
Mrs Jones, 29 years her husband's junior, had started divorce proceedings after embarking on an affair with old friend Shaun Kelly, 45, Teesside Crown Court heard.
Although Mr Jones went to see a solicitor in March last year he remained desperate to patch up their marriage.
When he realised there was no way back he then allegedly warned his estranged wife that 'if he couldn't have her, no other man could'.
Franz Muller QC, prosecuting, said one row between the couple had turned violent and police were called, but that she decided not to press charges.
The divorce was granted last September on the grounds of his unreasonable behaviour, some weeks before Jones killed her at their former home in Marske-on-Sea, Cleveland, the court heard.
'The deceased had met another man, Shaun Kelly, and in February, 2009, he sent her a Valentine Card which the defendant found in her purse,' said Mr Muller.
The house in Marske-on-Sea, Cleveland, where Katrina Jones was killed
'She told the defendant she wanted a divorce on February 24. She consulted a solicitor who asked him to leave the matrimonial home.
'He remained until June or July when he managed to secure a flat nearby but spent half his time there and half his time in the home of Brian Fowle, next door to his estranged wife.
'She told Mr Fowle that the defendant had said he would kill her and if he could not have her no other man would.'
On the day of the divorce party his mood 'darkened' with every drink of beer and whisky as he watched Katrina put up the banners, the court was told.
He then picked up a 12inch kitchen knife, went next-door and stabbed his ex-wife to death.
As she lay dying he rang 999 and confessed: 'I have stabbed my wife, please come quickly, please come and save her.'
He was arrested as soon as police arrived at the scene, where a paramedic declared Katrina dead.
Jones refused to answer questions in police interviews but eventually made a statement in which he claimed he had been provoked into killing his wife, and was suffering from diminished responsibility.
In his statement Jones said: 'At the time I was subject of extreme provocation as I became aware she had been unfaithful to me on at least two occasions.
'I told her I forgave her infidelity but she goaded me including a text in which she said she could not speak because her mouth was full, which I took to mean she was performing oral sex on one of her partners, and sent me a text message saying she wished I would die.
'I became aware that Katrina was having a divorce party and begged her not to to do this because it upset me so much.
'But she just laughed at me. She placed a photo of me behind the front door and on a note invited people to stick pins in my image.
'At that point I just snapped and suffered a sudden loss of self control.
'If it had not been for what she said and did on that day I do not believe I would have caused these injuries.'
Katrina's ex-lover Shaun Kelly, 45, said their affair started at the end of 2008. He told the jury: 'Every single day of my life I wonder if Katrina had not met me, if she would still be alive today.'
Jones, a retired fish dealer, denies murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility and provocation.
The trial, expected to last two weeks, continues.
Print this article 
Read later 
Email to a friend Share this article: Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1264004/Jilted-husband-stabbed-ex-wife-death-prepared-celebrate-end-marriage-divorce-party.html#ixzz0kQ5JICq9 
Thu Aug 02, 2018 3:35 pm by Lorz
Calendar
