Woman murdered partner during 999 call

Deborah Napier was convicted of the murder of 46-year-old Jolyon Wray at his home in Ryde on the Isle of Wight on June 13.

He died from a single stab wound to his back.

She will be sentenced at Winchester Crown Court on Friday.

Detective Constable Luke Donovan, of Hampshire police, said: “Deborah and Jolyon clearly had a troubled relationship, which, following a vicious attack, resulted in the tragic loss of Jolyon’s life.

“I hope today’s guilty verdict goes some way to giving Jolyon’s family closure and that they can now put the terrible events of this day behind them.”

Charles Gabb, prosecuting, told the trial that an emergency call was put through to the police during which the call-handler could hear two people arguing.

He said that during the argument, Napier stabbed Mr Wray in the back with a 12.5cm steak knife.

Mr Gabb said: “The operator didn’t have a clue what was going on, the operator knew nothing of the real-life drama going on.”

He said police then attended the address and found Mr Wray “slumped on the sofa with the knife stuck firmly in the middle of his back exactly where she had stabbed him.”

He added: “Mrs Napier was now very upset realising the enormity of what she had done.”

Mr Gabb said that Napier and Mr Wray, who both had drinking problems, had been in a relationship which started after Napier’s previous partner died of cancer.