'Big-hearted' murder victim Louis Price was embroiled in toxic relationship with his killer Kirsty Carless

Carless, known locally as Kirsty Cribb, was involved in a "toxic" relationship with the Villa fan for the better part of two years and shared a young daughter with him. Both had drug issues and were well-known to Cannock police who recorded both as being at high risk of of harm due to the numerous phone calls they made to complain about each other's behaviour.

Friends and neighbours described to officers how they would sometimes squabble in public and that the rows would sometimes turn into to physical fights.

Previously married Carless took up with with the keen angler after parting ways with her ex-husband, with whom she has four older children, due to her excessive spending habits including her insistence on redecorating her the family home several times a year.

Her ensuing chaotic lifestyle resulted in interventions by social services and relatives ended up looking after the children. Then, after a string of tit-for-tat incidents between her and Mr Price, Carless was arrested on November 11 for pouring bleach over his clothes, squeezing his neck and assaulting him just weeks before the stabbing in the early hours of Christmas Day.

Despite Carless being on police bail with conditions to keep away from Mr Price, the pair carried on communicating.