A controlling thug who murdered his girlfriend after she questioned him about seeing other women faces a life sentence. Kevin Mannion, 45, stabbed Elinor O'Brien in the groin in a 'rageful and violent attack' after the pair rowed in his city centre apartment.
Mannion killed 22-year-old Elinor after committing several assaults on her throughout their eight month relationship. Just two days before murdering her, Mannion, who has previous convictions for violence, stabbed Elinor to the breast.
She had complained to police previously about being the victim of domestic abuse, but was too frightened to name Mannion as the perpetrator. Mannion called 999 just before 12.30pm on August 16 last year after stabbing Elinor at his apartment in the Great Northern Tower, just off Peter Street and Deansgate.
He initially told officers that she had been accidentally 'pierced' by 'something in her belongings' when he had thrown her bags at her during an argument. Then, at his murder trial, he said he had no idea how Elinor had been injured, and insisted he had found her lying in the hallway outside the flat before getting help.
But a jury at Liverpool Crown Court saw through his lies and found him guilty of murder. He showed no emotion as the jury returned their unanimous verdicts.
Judge Neil Flewitt KC told Mannion he will be sentenced next week. He said: "The only sentence that I can impose on count 1 (murder) on this indictment is life imprisonment. I have to determine the minimum term and I need some help from all counsel."
The trial heard that after the killing, Mannion told interviewing officers that he and Elinor had argued after she asked if he was seeing other women, when he failed to respond to a number of texts.
In the weeks before he stabbed Elinor, Mannion had revealed that another woman he had been seeing had told him she was pregnant. Mannion was also found guilty of wounding with intent, for the stabbing two days earlier, and of displaying coercive or controlling behaviour towards Elinor during their relationship.
He is due to be sentenced on Thursday. March 9. Jurors deliberated for about a day before returning their verdicts after a three week trial. At the time of her death, Elinor's friends paid tribute to her.
One said: "Elinor was a beautiful young girl with the rest of her life ahead of her. She would have been 23 next week on August 28.
"She was loved by anyone who had the pleasure of meeting her, she lit up the room with her infectious smile and laughter. Many hearts have been shattered and will never be the same. RIP our angel."
Another woman posted on Facebook: "We will miss you Eli, beautiful inside and out. Taken too early. May you rest in peace now." After her death, friends organised a vigil in Elinor's memory at Albert Park in Salford, on what would have been her 23rd birthday.
They also asked well-wishers to release balloons from any gym across the city as that's where she 'loved to be.'
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