Evil DJ who stabbed his partners mother to death after she rushed to stop him attacking her daughter weeps as he is jailed for 20 years
A lorry driver who stabbed his partners mother to death in a frenzied drunken assault as she tried to shield her daughter from being attacked has been jailed for life.
A lorry driver who stabbed his partners mother to death in a frenzied drunken assault as she tried to shield her daughter from being attacked has been jailed for life.
Damian Homer, 51, will serve at least 20 years after he also stabbed his partner Stacey Hill with a kitchen knife as she and Wendy Francis fought for their lives during the tragic incident, Worcester Crown Court was told.
The former dairy manager, DJ and care worker sat with his head bowed throughout a near two-hour hearing and frequently sobbed in the dock as family members, including Mrs Franciss son, described the killing as evil in victim impact statements read to Judge Rupert Mayo.
Homer, who stabbed Mrs Francis twice in the chest moments after she used a key to let herself into her daughters home, pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder at a previous hearing.
Opening the facts of the case, prosecutor Harpreet Sandhu KC said Mrs Francis, 61, had gone to the property in Haresfield Close, Worcester, after being alerted by her daughter, who had seen Homer arming himself with a knife.
Damian Homer, 51, will serve at least 20 years after he stabbed Wendy Francis, 61, mother of his partner Stacey Hill, 38, to death in a frenzied drunken assault in March
Mrs Francis, 61, had gone to the property in Haresfield Close, Worcester, after being alerted by her daughter who had seen Homer arming himself with a knife
Mrs Francis arrived at the property at 8.21pm on March 2, the court heard, and saw her daughter screaming and being attacked in the kitchen.
Mr Sandhu told the court: Wendy Francis said get off my daughter and she placed her hands on the defendants shoulders.
Homer, who appeared to be possessed after an argument, beat both women repeatedly and then stabbed Mrs Francis, the court was told.
Stacey Hill then got on top of her mother so that any further blows with the knife would be delivered to her rather than her mother, Mr Sandhu said.
Mrs Francis suffered deep wounds which passed through her left lung and liver, went into cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at 9.18pm, despite the efforts of arriving emergency services to save her.
Ms Hill, 38, believed she was going to die, having suffered wounds to her hand, thigh, chest and abdomen, but still pleaded with paramedics to assist her mother before they helped her, Mr Sandhu added.
Ms Hill, who had a collapsed lung and a cut to the tissue of her liver, spent ten days in hospital, three of them in intensive care.
Homer, who lived with Ms Hill at the address, initially claimed he had been acting in self-defence, but later wrote a letter while in custody to his partner saying alcohol possessed me and that he had very little recollection of the attacks.
He also claimed that he had drunk about 108 units of alcohol in the average week, having consumed eight cans of cider and further drinks, including part of a bottle of wine, on the day of the murder.
Defence KC Tim Hannam said Homer was devastated and mortified by his actions and had destroyed the lives of everyone in his family.
Homer, who appeared to be possessed after an argument, beat both his partner Stacey Hill (right) and her mother repeatedly, before fatally stabbing Mrs Francis
The court heard Stacey Hill got on top of her mother so that any further blows with the knife would be delivered to her rather than Ms Francis
Homer had began to drink to excess in 1998 after losing his job and suffering back problems.
Passing sentence, Judge Mayo described the murder and attempted murder as selfish and cruel, adding: This senseless killing took place during a near-fatal attack on your partner, Stacey Hill.
Both of your victims sustained defensive injuries. It would not be an exaggeration to say that both women were fighting for their lives.
In a statement issued through West Mercia Police, Mrs Franciss family said: She would do anything for anyone.
She welcomed Damian Homer into the family with open arms, showing nothing but love, support and loyalty towards him, which makes all of this so much harder to comprehend.
We will never come to terms with why this happened on March 2, but what we do know is she will be loved and missed forever.
The void she has left in the lives of her family and friends is one that will never be filled.
Retired Detective Chief Inspector Leighton Harding, who led the investigation, said: First and foremost, our thoughts continue to be with Wendys family.
I would also like to commend the second victim, who survived Homers attack.
Despite the unimaginable trauma she faced, the bravery she has shown has been inspiring and without doubt the evidence she was able to provide was instrumental in securing the conviction of Homer and todays sentence.
