Gemma Finnigan killer thought he had destroyed devil, inquest told

Gemma Finnigan was strangled and stabbed by Daniel Johnson in 2013

A man who killed his partner told doctors he thought she was possessed by the devil, an inquest heard.

Daniel Johnson, 41, who has paranoid schizophrenia, stabbed and strangled Gemma Finnigan, who was 24, at their home in South Tyneside in 2013.

He was given a life sentence after admitting manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

The inquest, sitting in South Shields, heard Johnson told doctors at his secure hospital he did nothing wrong.

The couple, who had lived together in Boldon Colliery for five years, met when Johnson was on day release from an open prison after being convicted for his part in a murder when he was 15.

Ms Finnigan's family have previously said they did not know about Johnson's violent past.

A previous Domestic Homicide Review found Ms Finnigan had been let down by agencies that had failed to communicate.

Gemma Finnigan's body was found at the couple's flat in Church View, Boldon Colliery

Gateshead and South Tyneside coroner Terence Carney heard that Johnson, who was 32 at he time of Ms Finnigan's killing, was initially held at Durham Prison before he was transferred to Rampton Secure Hospital.

Johnson was assessed by a psychiatrist who concluded he suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and said he was likely to have been dependant on opiates at the time he killed his partner.

Hospital psychiatric reports read to the inquest said Johnson told doctors he "should not be in prison because the only thing he had done was destroyed the devil".

He said killing Ms Finnigan was the "right thing to do to get rid of the devil which had taken over his girlfriend's body and mind".

The reports added Johnson said "if the devil showed himself to him in prison he would have to take it hostage and butcher it".

The inquest also heard evidence from paramedic Mark Poultay, who was called to the couple's flat in Church View on 13 September 2013.

Daniel Johnson was initially charged with murder but admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility

He said Ms Finnigan's lifeless body was found face down on the floor with "two stab wounds to the back".

The inquest also heard from neighbour John Kay who lived in a downstairs flat and heard "shouting voices of a man and woman" at 03:30 BST.

In November 2014, Johnson was given a life sentence after admitting manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

When he was sentenced Johnson was told he would have to serve at least 20 years before being considered for parole.

The judge at the time, Mr Justice Green, said Johnson was "prone to bouts of mental illness," and that he "posed a potentially lethal threat to society".

The inquest is listed to continue for eight days.