Woman who killed boyfriend jailed for eight years

A woman who killed her boyfriend by stabbing him in the heart has been jailed for eight-and-a-half years.

Dionne Christie, 24, from Falkirk, struck Jevin Haig in the chest with his own 12-inch blade during the struggle in June 2022.

Jurors were told that the mother-of-two had been 12-weeks pregnant with Mr Haig's child at the time.

Christie was sentenced via video-link at the High Court in Glasgow after earlier being found guilty of the lesser charge of culpable homicide by a jury.

The first time offender stood trial for murder but was found guilty of the reduced charged after jurors concluded she was acting under provocation.

The incident happened in the bedroom of Christie's housing association flat, when she and her boyfriend were both aged 21.

The knife – which Mr Haig was said to carry in his waistband at all times for "protection" – entered his chest cavity and pierced his heart.

The court heard that Christie had waited several minutes before calling 999 then immediately blamed Mr Haig.

She told the operator: "He's been trying to start with me, he's smashed all my house and brought out a knife, a big knife. He's got a stab mark right in the chest.

"It's while we've been like, he was grabbing me, he had the knife in his pants, I don't know how I've done this."

When police arrived, Christie told them that Mr Haig had stabbed himself but her DNA and fingerprints were found on the knife.

Prosecutor Graeme Jessop KC said Christie had stabbed Mr Haig in a fit of anger because he no longer had any money, with a crime-funded lifestyle drying up.

In a text conversation the day before he died, he told her he had been "losing out on deals".

The court also heard claims that Christie had previously been violent towards him, stabbing him in the leg, slashing his jacket, and cutting up most of his clothes.

Her lawyer, Ian Duguid KC, told the court she had shown "remorse and regret".

Sentencing, Lady Poole said it appeared Mr Haig had not led a "blameless life", but that "did not excuse" Christie killing him.

She said: "Messages showed he cared for you and he was happy going for a scan appointment with you.

"Victim impact statements describe the deep grief and lasting impact the loss has had on them. Your actions ended his life early."