Emma-Jayne Magson jailed for brutal murder of boyfriend with steak knife

A Leicester woman who stabbed her partner through the heart with a steak knife then left him to die has been jailed for a minimum of 17 years for murder. Emma-Jayne Magson, 23, attacked James Knight, 26, during a drunken row outside her home in the early hours of 27 March 2016 then dialled 999, failing to disclose he had a stab wound.

Leicester Crown Court heard Magson and Knight had a "volatile" relationship which ended in Knight's death. After stabbing the victim 11.5 cm (4 inches) through the heart with a steak knife which she then hid in a bin belonging to his brother, she asked neighbours to move him into her house in Sylvan Road.

In a phone call to 999, Magson said in a calm voice she did not know what had happened to the father-of-two, but that it appeared as though he had been in a fight and was drunk. A recording of the conversation was played in court.

Throughout the five-minute call Magson remained calm, talking to the victim, who could be heard groaning in the background. When the operator said an ambulance might be some time she said: "No, that's fine, don't worry about it."

Crown prosecutor Michael Evans QC said Magson "was cold, she was brutal, she was manipulative, she was calculating, she was volatile, she was determined and she was vicious."

In a statement the vicrim's family said: "James Knight was 26-years-old, a father of two girls, a son, a brother, uncle, and a friend to many. James was a very happy, bouncy young man who made everyone's day brighter with a smile that was infectious, no-one will ever be able to forget it.

"We, as a family will never be able to forget the night we received the heart breaking news that James had died, the heart ache and pain James suffered will never go away, neither will the pain for those of us left behind. Although Emma has finally been brought to justice we will never truly be able to come to terms with the fact he has gone."