A woman who stabbed her partner to death with a steak knife will serve a minimum of 17 years in prison after being convicted of his murder for a second time, following a retrial.
Emma-Jayne Magson, 28, of Sylvan Street, Leicester, killed 26-year-old James Knight in March 2016 following a drunken row.
She denied murdering Mr Knight at her first trial, claiming it was self defence, but was convicted later that year and sentenced to life with a minimum term of 17 years.
It comes after a retrial ordered by the Court of Appeal.
She denied murdering Mr Knight at her first trial, claiming it was self defence, but was convicted later that year and sentenced to life with a minimum term of 17 years.
Her second trial took place at Birmingham Crown Court where a jury again found her guilty of Mr Knight’s murder, by majority verdict, on March 5.
Jailing Magson for life on Monday, Mr Justice Jeremy Baker told her: ‘I regret I am unconvinced you have, as yet, any real remorse for having caused James Knight’s death.’
Emma-Jayne Magson, 28, of Sylvan Street, Leicester, killed 26-year-old James Knight in March 2016 following a drunken row
Emma-Jayne Magson has been jailed for life at Birmingham Crown Court (pictured during first trial in 2016)
Magson’s application for a retrial was supported by campaign group Justice for Women.
Mr Justice Jeremy Baker, sentencing, told Magson her prison term would run from the date of the end of the original trial, in 2017.
He added that for legal reasons he could not impose a greater minimum term than the 17-year tariff previously handed to her.
But the judge said: ‘Had it not been for the statutory limitation on the court’s powers, the minimum term would have been in excess of that previously imposed upon you.’
He added: ‘I regret I am unconvinced you have, as yet, any real remorse for having caused James Knight’s death.’
In January last year, the Court of Appeal ordered a retrial after hearing new psychiatric evidence that she was suffering from emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD) – and so could have diminished responsibility.
Emma-Jayne Magson, 26, of Leicester, was caught on police body-cam footage crying out for her boyfriend just moments after stabbing him with a steak knife and watching him die
Her second trial took place at Birmingham Crown Court where a jury again found her guilty of Mr Knight’s murder, by a majority verdict of 10-2.
A court heard how she plunged the blade into the heart of her partner in a drunken row following a night out in Leicester before waiting 45 minutes to dial 999.
She claimed Mr Knight had collapsed and when a call operator warned her the ambulance might be delayed, she calmly replied: ‘No, that’s fine, don’t worry about it.’
She also lied to call handlers about his injuries, saying ‘I just think he’s too smashed’, after claiming he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
The binman was pronounced dead from a single stab wound after being attacked with the 11.5cm (4.5ins) long blade in the early hours of March 27, 2016.
In chilling bodycam footage previously released by Leicestershire Police, Magson is seen telling officers who arrived at the scene: ‘We had a fight but he seemed fine. He was breathing heavily, but he was still alive.’
She then appears to become more agitated as she screams: ‘I don’t care, just get my boyfriend out,’ before adding: ‘I don’t care as long as he is alive’.
Magson can be heard sobbing as she bangs on the front door and says, ‘I want my boyfriend’ and ‘James, come on.’
She denied murder, claiming she had acted in self-defence, but was convicted and jailed for life with a minimum term of 17 years at the end of 2016.