Cornwall man killed partner, 81, by stamping on her head

A man killed his 81-year-old partner by repeatedly stamping on her head outside their house.

Brian Downie, 69, from Par, Cornwall, was suffering from a psychosis due to undiagnosed Lewy body dementia.

The former taxi driver pleaded guilty to manslaughter in relation to Lesley Davies' death last summer.

He was sentenced to a hospital order under section 37 of the Mental Health Act and sobbed as he listened to the details of what he had done.

Truro Crown Court heard Downie had been acting oddly prior to chasing his wife down the road and attacking her.

Prosecutor Simon Laws QC said Mrs Davies, a fit and active woman, had met Downie online in around 2013 following the death of her husband of 48 years.

Downie moved into her Par home in 2017 and the relationship seemed to have been "a close one", with no suggestion of violence.

The court heard Downie was spotted in the street behaving oddly on July 18 and then on July 19 made several strange phone calls to his son.

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He called 999 at 13:25 BST and asked for the police and ambulance to attend.

Mr Laws said: "At about 14:00 neighbours heard screaming in the road and saw Lesley Davies running away from her home."

He said neighbours saw Downie chasing Mrs Davies, before knocking her down and then repeatedly stamping on her face, described as "vicious" and with "full force".

Former teacher Mrs Davies was airlifted to hospital but died on 4 August.

Downie, who was also sentenced to a section 41 restriction order, appeared in court via video link from Langdon Hospital in Devon.

Sentencing him, Mrs Justice May said the case was a "tragedy" for Mrs Davies' sons and Downie.