Woman killed boyfriend with hunting knife

Dionne Christie will be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow in May

A woman has been convicted of killing her boyfriend with a hunting knife in a row at her flat in Falkirk.

Dionne Christie, 24, struck Jevin Haig in the chest with his own 12-inch blade during the struggle in June 2022.

Jurors were told that the mum-of-two had been 12-weeks pregnant with Mr Haig's child at the time.

Christie had been charged with murder, but was found guilty of the lesser charge of culpable homicide by a jury at the High Court in Stirling.

Her defence lawyer Ian Duguid KC described the case as "a tragedy for both families".

The incident happened in the bedroom of Christie's housing association flat, when she and her boyfriend were both age 21.

The knife – which Mr Haig was said to carry in his waistband at all times for "protection" – entered his chest cavity and pierced his heart.

Jevin Haig was stabbed in the chest with his own 12-inch blade

The court heard that Christie had waited several minutes before calling 999 then immediately blamed Mr Haig.

She told the operator: "He's been trying to start with me, he's smashed all my house and brought out a knife, a big knife. He's got a stab mark right in the chest."

"It's while we've been like, he was grabbing me, he had the knife in his pants, I don't know how I've done this."

When police arrived Christie told them that Mr Haig had stabbed himself.

Prosecutor Graeme Jessop KC said Christie had stabbed him in a fit of anger because he no longer had any money, with a crime-funded lifestyle drying up.

'Monster caged'

In a text conversation the day before he died, Mr Haig told her he had been "losing out on deals".

The court also heard claims that Christie had previously been violent towards him, stabbing him in the leg, slashing his jacket, and cutting up most of his clothes.

Judge Lady Poole said victim impact statements showed Mr Haig's family was devastated by his death.

She said that "although on the evidence he didn't lead a blameless life", it was wrong he died so young after being stabbed by Christie.

Mr Haig's mother Karen May Mearns, 49, said the jury's verdict "meant the world" to the family.

She said: "It doesn't matter that it's culpable homicide, not murder.

"She has been free for two-and-a-half years after killing our son, and now, at last, a monster has been caged."

Police Scotland also welcomed the verdict. Det Insp Scott Roxburgh, of the force's Major investigation Team, said: "We hope that it brings some kind of closure for Jevin's family and friends."

Lady Poole remanded Christie in custody ahead of sentencing at the High Court in Glasgow on 7 May.