Jealous man guilty of murdering partner

Nicole Hurley received injuries to her chest and neck

An "angry and jealous" man who stabbed his partner repeatedly has been found guilty of murder.

Jason Bell, 42, attacked Nicole Hurley, 37, at the home they shared in Primrose Hill, north-west London. Children who were in the flat saw Bell armed with three knives, the Old Bailey heard.

Ms Hurley, who was left with injuries to her chest and neck, died in the early hours of 10 October 2021.

Sentencing was adjourned to the week starting 10 October.

One knife was found by police next to Ms Hurley's body with her blood on it, while two kitchen knives found in a bedroom appeared to be bloodstained.

'Fast moving and frightening'

A fourth knife, which had the victim's blood on it, was recovered inside a rucksack the defendant took from the house.

"This was undoubtedly a fast-moving and very frightening incident," prosecutor Michelle Nelson KC told the court.

"The defendant armed himself with knives and on four occasions in a short space of time attacked the deceased."

After the attack, Bell was told by a child in the house that Ms Hurley was dead and he replied "good", the court heard.

Bell then went to the flat of a friend, Jeremy Drewitt, in Kilburn. At knifepoint, he accused Mr Drewitt of sleeping with Ms Hurley, the court heard.

Some time later, the defendant - who had martial arts training and weighed 19 stone - told Mr Drewitt to drive him so he could hand himself in to police.

Mr Drewitt was able to jump out of the van they were in as it stopped in traffic, the court heard. Later, Bell walked into a mental health assessment centre and requested to be sectioned.

He was arrested soon after by armed police.

Bell, who refused to come to court during the trial and appeared by video-link from prison, was also convicted of the false imprisonment of Mr Drewitt.

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