Ex-doorman Matthew Farmer's fatal attack on his ex-partner orginally started out as an attempted murder case as victim Stacey Clay clung to life for two weeks before she died.
Farmer, a 39-year-old Tesco security guard, was arrested at the scene and initially charged with attempted murder.
But, sadly, in the weeks that followed, Miss Clay passed away and the charge was changed to one of murder.
Farmer was jailed on Friday (January 21) for Miss Clay's murder with a minimum term to serve of 29 years before parole. He was convicted by a jury.
The CPS said afterwards there was no dispute that Farmer was responsible for the attack.
The issue raised in his defence was that he did not intend to kill or do serious harm.
The task for the prosecution was to prove to the jury beyond reasonable doubt that he had planned to kill Miss Clay.
The attack was captured on CCTV. The extreme levels of violence and the prolonged nature of the attack were evidence of Farmer’s intent.
The CPS secured this evidence from the police at a much earlier stage then usual and served this on the court to eliminate the need for eye-witness accounts at trial.
To demonstrate the planned nature of the attack, the CPS also provided evidence that Farmer had purchased a kitchen knife shortly before the attack.
Video evidence showed Farmer experimenting with the knife at his work place where he was seen to stab the knife into a box.
This was used as evidence that he was ‘testing’ the knife as a weapon. Evidence was also presented about Farmer’s behaviour after the attack.
As part of the sentencing exercise, the CPS reminded the court of the seriousness of this offence, including bringing a knife to the scene, the use of the knife as a weapon and the extreme violence used, as well as the preceding stalking behaviour.
Michelle Mannion, from the CPS, said Farmer showed no remorse.
"He would not accept that his relationship with Ms Clay was over and subjected her to a sustained campaign of harassment, causing Ms Clay great fear and distress in the last few weeks of her life.
"Farmer’s claims that he did not intend to kill Ms Clay or to cause her any serious harm were wholly inconsistent with the evidence which was overwhelming and clearly pointed to a pre-meditated attack.
“Stacey Clay was a much-loved mother, daughter, sister and friend. I would like to extend my heartfelt sympathy to all those close to her who have had to come to terms with her sudden loss in such tragic circumstances.”
Farmer, 42, from Logan Street, Bulwell, stabbed Miss Clay in her back garden, in Andover Road, Bestwood, after she had ended their long-term relationship.
After they separated, Farmer had stalked Miss Clay by sending increasingly aggressive phone and social media messages, appearing at her property and sending explicit photos of her to her mother.
Miss Clay had installed security measures, including CCTV, and Farmer was on bail for harassment when the fatal attack took place in the early morning of May 19 last year.
Farmer broke his bail conditions and violently attacked Ms Clay in her garden. He stabbed her repeatedly, then tried to strangle her. He did not stop until he was tackled by police officers called to the scene. Ms Clay died in hospital on June 2.
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