Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
LIFE IN JAIL FOR KILLER WHO CUT FIANCEE’S NECK
Dad of three sent down for drunken attack Son told jury he’d witnessed brutal stabbing
A FATHER of three was starting a life sentence yesterday after being found guilty of murdering his fiancee.
David Lyness killed Anita Downey, 51, at his home in Lurgan, Co Armagh, in the early hours of January 20 last year.
The mother of three bled to death from a stab wound to the left side of her neck which extended to her spine and severed her jugular vein.
A jury of seven men and five women took less than two hours to return a unanimous verdict against the 52-year old at Belfast Crown Court.
Lyness – who claimed Ms Downey had been holding the knife – showed no emotion as Judge Geoffrey Miller handed down a life sentence.
The victim’s relatives gasped then cried in the public gallery. Speaking afterwards, her family said: “Justice has been served.”
Lyness had maintained that after an evening of drinking wine at his Toberhewry Hall home, Ms Downey attacked him with a knife from the kitchen.
He told police that during a “frantic struggle” in which he tried to disarm his fiancee, they both ended up on the floor and he noticed blood coming from her.
When he realised she was dead, he claimed he tried to take his own life by cutting his throat, then lay beside her and waited for the emergency services.
This version of events was rejected by the jury.
During the three-week trial, they heard from Lyness’ son, who was a teenager at the time of the attack. He told the court he witnessed his father straddling Ms Downey and “sawing” at her neck with a kitchen knife. He said she had turned to him and asked for help.
Lyness’ version of events was also rejected by Assistant State Pathologist Dr Christopher Johnson who concluded: “You couldn’t get a wound like that simply as the result of an accident.”
He said it could only have been caused by “somebody taking a knife and cutting her throat with it”.
Called to give evidence earlier this week, Lyness accused his own barrister of asking him to perjure himself. He refused to answer any further questions and later withdrew the instructions of his legal team.
After the jury returned the guilty verdict they were thanked by Judge Miller.
He also paid tribute to Lurgan-born Ms Downey’s loved ones for the dignity they displayed during the trial.
He added: “The court extends its sympathy to the family and friends of Anita Downey, who have suffered as a result of this grievous act committed by the defendant.”
The judge told Lyness that, as he had been convicted of murder, there was only one sentence to pass and that was a sentence of life imprisonment.
He said there will be another hearing to determine how long he will spend in jail before he is eligible to be considered for release.
Then sending Lyness back to his cell, Judge Miller directed the prison staff to “take him down”.