Liverpool woman jailed for murdering 'gentle giant' boyfriend

A woman from Liverpool who stabbed her “gentle giant” boyfriend through the heart was jailed for life today. (Mon)

36-year-old dad of two Gary Morgan had tragically prophesied his own death after suffering domestic abuse at her hands.

Heartless killer 31-year-old Emma Walsh was unanimously convicted of murder by a jury following just 97 minutes deliberations on Friday when she refused to come into court.

Ordering her to serve a minimum term of 18 years Judge Andrew Menary, KC, the Recorder of Liverpool, said that the victim had been excited when their relationship began but text messages showed within a relatively short time “you were making his life a misery.”

He said their tempestuous relationship was marked with frequent rows, often when she was drunk. “I have no doubt that many of these were the result of your extreme irrational jealousy and your consequent desire to dominate Gary Morgan’s life and to restrict his movements.”

He said, “It only took a message on his phone or looking the wrong way at another woman, or as you saw it, not giving her enough attention, for you to fly into a furious and violent rage.

“You regularly abused him by your controlling and coercive behaviour, including on many occasions using violence against him.”

The city’s crown court had heard evidence during her trial from two previous partners who had also suffered violence at her hands.

Walsh sat in the dock with her back turned away from the public gallery crowded with the victim’s family and friends her face hidden by her long hair.

Judge Menary said she had chronic problems with alcohol and drugs and for many years had spent most of her time under the influence of one substance or another.

On the fateful day they were both drunk after watching a televised Liverpool FC game in a local pub and an argument developed “and as was your habit you became violent.

“You picked up a knife and attacked your partner. The pathology evidence is clear that you were determined to stab him.”

After stabbing Mr Morgan, who had his own successful landscape business, near his neck and to his arm she stabbed him through the heart.

She rang 999 but lied about what had happened and it was only when confronted with the medical evidence that she admitted it but again lied claiming she was acting in self-defence.

“It is a tragic irony that so many members of his family and Gary Morgan himself in his text messages to you predicted that if he stayed with you - a woman he so obviously loved - you would end up killing him.”

Judge Menary added, “I am not persuaded that you feel or have expressed any genuine remorse for what you have done.”

He said that while she had some underlying issues with her mental health her real problems were her addictions.

“You knew full well that you had an explosive temper and were prone to use implements to cause harm. There had been plenty of warnings in the past but you were unwilling or unable to change.”

A moving family impact statement read to the court spoke of the trauma of seeing their “happy bubbly son” becoming a shadow of his former self before she killed him.

It concluded with them saying, “Domestic violence should not tolerated on anyone, man or woman. If any good can come is for anyone who is suffering is to seek help.”

Less than a month before she fatally stabbed him through the heart he told a friend, "She's attacked me again. She's a psychopath, she batters me and she tried to bite my nose off."

When his pal urging him to "take care", Gary's final comment to him was, "I can't help it. I love her, but I know she's going to kill me."

And three-and-a-half weeks later on the evening of April 10 this year, Walsh fatally plunged a knife into his chest.

Mr Morgan had repeatedly been warned by members of his family about the toxic relationship, with one of his five brothers saying, "It's not good for you this. If it carries on, you will end up hitting her back or you will end up dead."

Gary had texted Walsh prophesying his death at her hands nd saying he wanted her out of his life. He left her on occasion but always returned after a few days.

He had moved into the home she shared with her dad in Lavan Close, Everton, shortly after she got in touch with him via Facebook about March last year.

Richard Pratt, KC, defending, said that she had not intended to kill him and it had not been premeditated. She had had an unsettled childhood in various foster placements.

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