Stephen Newton jailed for life for murdering Nicola Morrin

Oct 14 2009 by Rob Kennedy, The Journal

A MURDERER who killed his former partner while on bail for beating her up has been jailed for life.

Despite knowing Nicola Morrin’s baby, Lillie, was asleep just yards away, brute Stephen Newton throttled her with the little girl’s tights, then repeatedly cut her throat.

A jury at Newcastle Crown Court took just over four hours to reject Newton’s claim of provocation and convict him of murder.

Judge John Milford told Newton he would serve a minimum of 15 years of the life sentence before he is even considered for release.

Judge Milford told Newton: “Miss Morrin was 10 years your junior and no physical danger to you and her infant daughter was asleep nearby.

“You strangled her with her child’s tights then when unconscious repeatedly you cut her throat.”

Newton had claimed he flew into a rage after Miss Morrin told him he was not Lillie’s father.

But the judge added: “Exactly what happened before your murderous attack I can’t say as I don’t accept it was because you found out you were not Lillie’s father, you already knew that.”

Newton, 38, of Kirkston Avenue, Lemington, Newcastle, had regularly attacked Miss Morrin, 26, during their stormy on-off relationship.

Just two weeks before he killed her he had forced his way into her home as she slept with one-year-old Lillie and attacked her.

He was bailed by magistrates for that attack and forbidden from contacting Miss Morrin.

However, on July 1 last year he ended up back at her flat at Bramwell Court, Gosforth, Newcastle, and launched his fatal attack.

During his trial it was revealed he had attacked Miss Morrin from behind, bashed her about the head, asphyxiated her with the tights, then cut her throat open again and again with a Stanley knife.

He then calmly texted and telephoned his sister telling her what he had done and, when police turned up, they found him watching television on the settee with Miss Morrin dead on the floor next to him.