A MURDERER who stabbed his ex-partner and repeatedly kicked her as she lay dying has been jailed for a minimum of 31 years. Jason Cooper lay in wait for Laura Stuart as she made her way home from a night out. The controlling 28-year-old had subjected th
Denbigh. But his pleas were unanimously rejected by a jury, who took just 55 minutes to find him guilty following a nine-day trial.
Jealous Cooper was also found guilty of wounding with intent in relation to Miss Stuart’s friend David Roberts.
He was stabbed three times as he tried to protect the 33-year-old care worker after Cooper stabbed her twice in the back and once in her chest, puncturing a major artery to her heart.
In a victim impact statement read at Mold Crown Court yesterday, Mr Roberts said: “I think to myself, I could have stopped it from happening if I had grabbed him better or pinned him to the floor.
“It will stay with me for the rest of my life.”
Miss Stuart died of catastrophic blood loss at a hospital in Stoke the day after the attack, surrounded by her family.
The court heard that Cooper blamed Miss Stuart for the loss of his job, his financial problems and his heavy drinking.
But prosecuting barrister David Elias QC said that he found work within three days, Miss Stuart had helped him financially and there was no record to support his assertion he had serious alcohol problems.
The court heard he bullied and stalked his former partner via social media and in person, and threatened to kill her.
He was seen smiling at the scene of the attack before telling police: “Thing is, mate, I’m not sorry about that [Laura], I am about him [Mr Roberts].”
Mr Elias said: “Cooper knew exactly what he was doing that night.
“The jealousy and hatred that had built up over the preceding days and weeks culminated in his actions.
“As he had painstakingly threatened in many messages to Laura Stuart and others, he hunted her down in the street and killed her.”