Mum-of-two stabbed ‘abusive’ boyfriend to death after boozy party then made chilling confession to sister
A MUM who stabbed her “abusive” boyfriend to death in a boozy row before making a chilling confession to her sister has been jailed.
Katie Yeomans, 28, knifed Rees Howarth in the chest with a blade she grabbed from her kitchen as the pair scuffled.
The couple, who had a “volatile” relationship, had argued after jealous Rees angrily quizzed Yeomans about her ex.
As he collapsed on the path outside her home in Tameside, Greater Manchester, the killer mum dragged him back inside.
She then called her sister, saying: “I think I’ve killed him”.
Yeomans has now been jailed for five years and three months after admitting manslaughter on the grounds of loss of self control.
As she was led to the cells, Rees’ family could be heard yelling “outrage”.
Manchester Crown Court heard on April 22 this year, the couple had been on a night out at Liquid nightclub in Oldham.
They returned to Yeomans’ home where a “considerable quantity of cocaine” was taken.
But Rees’ mood “deteriorated quickly” as he was consumed by jealously over a man he believed Yeomans’ had been in a relationship with.
She claimed he then “reverted to extreme aggression” – causing her to dial 999.
But Rees allegedly grabbed the phone from her and ended the call as he continued to “harangue” her about the other man.
Yeomans claimed she picked up the knife “in fear” and stabbed her boyfriend as the pair grappled inside the house.
She then called her 19-year-old sister and claimed she knifed Rees because he had attacked her.
When the sibling arrived, Yeomans’ urged her to help move the victim into a nearby alleyway but she refused and the police were called.
When officers arrived, she lied by telling them Rees was already injured and claimed he had pointed to his chest as blood poured from his mouth.
Yeomans had also called his dad, telling him: “He’s turned up at the house, he’s been stabbed. He’s OK though, he’s still breathing. He can’t be here.”
A post mortem found Rees had suffered a single stab wound which punctured his left lung and pulmonary artery.
In a victim impact statement, his dad Gary said: “When Katie rang me knew she told me Rees had been stabbed – but I didn’t know how bad the injury was.
“The next thing I knew police were there and I realised something really bad had happened. I was in disbelief when police told me Rees had been fatally stabbed.
“Since then it’s been a nightmare and I wake up in the night what could have possibly happened. All I keep thinking was whether I could have gone to the house – and done more to help Rees. These dreams and thoughts of never knowing the truth, leave me in a state of torment.
“I regret Rees couldn’t break the cycle of going back to Katie – he knew the relationship wasn’t right. All I want to know is why Katie did and what exactly happened in those last minutes. She has caused us so much pain and heartache and I just want her to tell the truth.”
The court was told Yeomans has previous convictions for robbery, criminal damage and assaulting police.
She is expected to be freed from prison after serving two thirds of her sentence.
Mr Justice Mark Turner said: “You tried to cover up your offending by giving misleading accounts to Rees’ father and the police. But there is history of abuse to which you have been subjected and I take into account the impact custody will have on your two children.”