Killer left partner to die after attacking her at home

A man who attacked his partner and left her to die at their home with more than 100 injuries has been found guilty of murder.

Stephanie Blundell's body was discovered by her father at the address on Canal Street, Chester, on 20 July.

When Philip Blundell arrived to check on his daughter, he found Tony Devenport wandering around the house in an intoxicated state, repeatedly saying, "I think she's dead", the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Devenport, 57, denied the charge but was found guilty after a 16-day trial at Chester Crown Court. He is due to be sentenced on Friday at the same court.

Stephanie, 41, was found upstairs, lying on a blood soaked mattress, with extensive bruising and injuries across her face and body, the trial heard, and Devenport was later arrested.

A post-mortem examination found 102 injuries including to her brain, fractures which are often associated with strangulation or mechanical asphyxiation and severe facial bruising.

The couple had met about a year before her death while both were receiving support for alcohol addiction.

Police inquiries revealed Stephanie had not left the house for about 10 days before her death, during which time Devenport had been feeding her largely on alcohol and ice lollies, the CPS said.

Det Insp Andrea Price said: "Stephanie's family described her as a fun-loving, caring, beautiful girl, and my thoughts are with them as they continue to come to terms with such a loss.

"No parent should ever have to go through the pain of losing a child, nor should they have to sit and relive that trauma by way of a trial.

"Devenport was a coward, he has shown no remorse for his actions and throughout the investigation he has refused to admit what he did."

Andrew Madden, of the CPS, said it was "an extremely sad case and a tragic end for a young, talented woman who had a successful life ahead of her".

He said: "At trial, Tony Devenport admitted he slapped Stephanie Blundell two or three times excessively but could provide no explanation for the 102 injuries found on her.

"These included traumatic, recently inflicted brain injuries, fractures to both thyroid horns, often associated with strangulation or mechanical asphyxiation, and severe facial bruising."

He said he repeatedly maintained Stephanie died "peacefully" due to her struggles with alcohol.

"The prosecution adduced photographs of her injuries to demonstrate to the jury his account was entirely fictitious," he continued.

"Despite Stephanie's condition, he did nothing to obtain help and pretended that moments before her father arrived, he was attempting to resuscitate her, even though she was clearly dead."

He added: "The Crown Prosecution Service said that, in drink and in drugs, he killed her when he lost his temper. Today, the jury has agreed."

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