Man stabbed girlfriend to death in ‘ferocious’ attack
Aman stabbed his girlfriend to death in a “ferocious” attack in her home and then went on the run in her car.
Anthony Lowe, 46, told Katherine Smith – who he met on a dating site – that he was a 36-yearold called Tony Moore, and only revealed his true identity to her family after the killing.
Opening the case at Cardiff Crown Court, prosecutor Michael Jones QC described the attack as “deliberate, sustained and brutal”.
The court heard the incident occurred at Ms Smith’s flat in Heol Trelai in Ely, Cardiff, on September 27 last year.
Prosecutors said the pair met on the Plenty Of Fish site and started dating last summer.
Lowe lied about his age and told Ms Smith his name was Tony Moore, leading her to get a tattoo of his fake initials.
The court heard he was “suspicious” and did not trust her, sending her persistent messages to “check up on her”.
On the day of the incident, the couple went to Tongwynlais Rugby Club to play skittles with family and friends.
Prosecutors said Lowe appeared to be in a “bad mood” and did not speak to Ms Smith in the car on the way home.
They were seen on CCTV arriving at her flat just before 10.25pm and the defendant was seen leaving around 20 minutes later. Prosecutors said he murdered her in that time.
The court heard Lowe took her car and went “on the run” towards Bristol and Bath.
He sent messages to the victim’s mother and friend revealing his true identity and admitting he had killed Ms Smith.
Prosecutors said Lowe went to buy cigarettes and abandoned the car, then sent a message to the victim’s friend saying: “Send the police and ambulance to that slag’s flat.”
He told her mother: “We split up last night. You need to send the police to the flat because Kath is laying on the kitchen floor dead.”
Police attended Heol Trelai and found Ms Smith’s body and a kitchen knife with a 9.5in blade.
Lowe was arrested in Westonsuper-Mare within 24 hours. He was assessed by a psychiatrist as fit to be detained and interviewed.
The defendant stated they had “an argument” and accepted butting Ms Smith, but denied stabbing her.
A pathologist found 33 stab wounds, including to her neck, chest and heart. Mr Jones described the attack as “ferocious”.
Lowe, of no fixed address, denied murder, but changed his plea on the second day of his trial.
John Cooper QC, defending, said his client – who was previously married for many years – “lost his temper”.
Judge Neil Bidder QC jailed Lowe for life with a minimum term of 18 years, minus the time he spent on remand.