Girlfriend murderer gets life
A killer who stabbed a Black Country mother 145 times in front of her terrified young daughter who begged him to stop has been jailed for life – and must serve at least 15 years before being considered for release.
Sharon Blair was mutilated beyond recognition by Christopher Jones who used six knives in the slaughter. He snapped the blades with the force of the blows.
Sitting at Bristol Crown Court Judge Charles Gray yesterday sentenced Jones, aged 54, to 16 years in prison, minus the 435 days he has already spent in custody. He said it would be at least 15 years before Jones would be eligible for parole, and if released he would remain on licence for the rest of his life.
A jury took just over 30 minutes to find him unanimously guilty of murder which he had denied although he admitted killing Mrs Blair, 42, formerly of Tantarra Street, Chuckery.
Sentencing Jones, Mr Justice Charles Gray said: "If confirmation were needed of the extent of the extent of the suffering you inflicted on Sharon Blair, then it is the tape of the 999 call made by her daughter then aged 10, telling the police what was going on before her very eyes."
"You subjected her to a most horrific attack.
"The extent of the suffering you caused is self evident by the number of stab wounds you inflicted. No sentence can reflect the tragedy of a young woman's life being cut short. Nor can it reflect the anguish to Sharon Blair's family and friends," he continued.
Mr Justice said witchcraft fan Jones's claim that he heard the voice of an African slave telling him to kill his girlfriend was "a complete fabrication".
Jones, had admitted killing Mrs Blair, who lived on a canal boat in Walsall, but denied murder claiming she stabbed him in the head first. He attacked Mrs Blair at his home in Street, Somerset, on April 15, last year.
The couple had been dating for six years.
