Woman guilty of stabbing ex-partner to death

Stephanie McLaggan was found guilty of murder by a jury at Lincoln Crown Court

A woman murdered her ex-partner by stabbing her in the chest with a kitchen knife "out of the blue".

Stephanie McLaggan was found guilty of killing Gillian Connelly, 44, during the early hours of 28 July last year.

Jurors heard a witness saw the 38-year-old defendant follow her former partner into the kitchen and take a knife from a block moments before the fatal attack.

McLaggan, of North Warren Road, Gainsborough, showed no emotion as the verdict was returned at Lincoln Crown Court earlier and is set to be sentenced later this week.

A post-mortem report found Gillian Connelly died from a stab wound to her chest

The trial heard McLaggan and Ms Connelly had previously been in a long-term relationship but still socialised together.

Prosecutor Paul Cavin KC said the stabbing "came totally out of the blue" and only McLaggan knew her motive.

Witness Susan Wasley told the court she had spent the night drinking and taking drugs with Ms Connelly and McLaggan at a friend's house in Wheeldon St.

'I should've done more'

In evidence, she said the knife had come from a block in the kitchen.

"Gillian was facing the wall. Stephanie was behind her. She just got the knife and went round the front," Ms Wasley said, adding that the two women ended up "tussling" on the floor in the dining room.

"It just stopped. Gillian got up and said she could not breathe," she said.

The court heard Ms Wasley last saw Ms Connelly on the stairs and left the property.

"I stood up, I froze, I should have done more," she said. "I didn't think it was that bad."

Ms Connelly was later pronounced dead from a stab wound to the chest.

McLaggan told the court she saw Ms Wasley washing a knife but her account was rejected by the jury.

The witness also denied under cross-examination that she was responsible for the stabbing.

The jury heard McLaggan made no reply when she was arrested and declined to answer questions during her police interviews.

Judge James House KC told the defendant he hoped to pass sentence later this week.

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