Steven Davies manslaughter: Carrie McGuinness is jailed

Steven John Davies was found dead at his home on 15 June 2022

A woman who killed her partner in a drunken fight has been jailed for more than 15 years.

The body of Steven Davies, who was 39, was found at his home in June 2022, after he had been stabbed.

His partner Carrie McGuinness, 35, of Rhydyfelin, Rhondda Cynon Taf, admitted manslaughter by way of diminished responsibility due to "alcohol dependence syndrome".

At Cardiff Crown Court, she was jailed for 15 years and six months.

The court heard Mr Davies suffered a one inch (2.5cm) stab wound that pierced his colon and led to infection.

• Carrie McGuinness admits killing partner

Days before his body was found, a neighbour heard shouting and McGuinness saying: "This is my flat, get out."

Later that day, another neighbour spoke to McGuinness, who said Mr Davies had beaten her up and that she had "just stabbed him".

McGuinness said she had no recollection of the incident that led to Mr Davies' death

After he had not been in contact for a number of days, a friend visited his home in Glyncoch, Pontypridd, on 15 June 2022.

Prosecutor Jonathan Rees said: "He looked through the window and saw his friend naked and face down on his bed."

Mr Davies' blood was found on an armchair, a pillow and a towel.

Used bandages with his blood were found in a bin bag and on the bathroom floor, and female jogging trousers with the blood of both Mr Davies and McGuinness were in a bag.

Mr Davies also suffered from alcohol dependency, and had previously self harmed.

However, medical professionals deemed that the stab wound was "not characteristic of self harm", the court heard.

McGuinness was arrested and told police Mr Davies had stayed with her between 2 and 10 June, in which time he had been violent and injured her nose.

She suggested they take a relationship break and he then left which was the last time she heard from him, the defendant said.

A murder probe was launched after Steven John Davies' body was found

The pair had a history of domestic violence, and were both breaking their bail conditions in assault cases against one another by being together.

"It was clear that the relationship was turbulent and volatile, but they were seen in early June, drinking together in the garden, seemingly in a good mood," Mr Rees added.

McGuinness claimed she did not know about Mr Davies' injury, or how it could have happened, but alcohol affected her memory.

Data from the victim's phone and a tablet computer showed searches for phrases including "vomit", "blood" and "end of life".

McGuiness had previous convictions for assault of a former partner.

However, defence barrister Nicholas Rhodes said she was not dangerous "to the general public".

She was a trained teacher and a mother-of-two, who had lost custody of her children due to depression and anxiety.

In sentencing her, Justice Timothy Kerr said the relationship was "unstable".

"You must have known that you and Mr Davies were clearly a danger to each other. That's what the bail conditions were for," he said.

Carrie McGuiness changed her plea to guilty of manslaughter

However, he conceded that the killing was not deliberate or planned, and that Mr Davies had also shown violence towards her.

"You are prone to reckless behaviour," he said.

In a statement read in court, Mr Davies' mother, Donna, said: "I miss my son every day.

"I often wake up hoping this has all been a nightmare and Steven is still here and is going to show up at my door with his cheeky smile.

"Steven was my child and my world. He was so young and was taken from us."

His sister, Adrianne, added that he was her "best friend", saying: "We have never moved on from that day, it's constantly on our minds.

"It all seems like a horrible nightmare that I cannot wake up from."