8:08am Monday 30th November 2009
By Daniel Howlett
A MAN will appear in court this morning charged with murder after his former wife was stabbed to death as she prepared to host her divorce party.
Police were called to a house in Church Close, Marske, east Cleveland, at about 3pm on Friday following reports of a disturbance.
When they arrived they discovered the body of 34-yearold mother-of-two Katrina Jones.
Her former husband, Brian Jones, 63, said to be a doorman at a nightclub, in Yarm, near Stockton, was charged with her murder on Saturday night.
He is due to appear at Teesside Magistrates’ Court, in Middlesbrough, today.
On Friday, the couple’s divorce, after about nine years of marriage, was due to become final, prompting Mrs Jones to throw a divorce party.
A neighbour said last night: “Katrina had been asking for a couple of weeks where she could get a divorce party banner from because she wanted one for Friday night.
“I know she bought one that said: ‘The party is here’.
“She had been in a really good mood that week.
“She always had a smile on her face anyway.”
Floral tributes were placed outside the house yesterday as Mrs Jones’ family struggled to come to terms with her death.
Her mother, Jean Evans, said: “She was always happy and enjoyed her life.
“She was a person who would do anything for anybody.”
Mrs Jones leaves two sons, Jordan, 11, and 18-year-old Thomas.
Neighbours in the quiet street last night spoke of their shock on hearing the news of Mrs Jones’ death.
One said: “She told me she had finished buying Christmas presents and was wrapping them and she was buying birthday presents for her son, Jordan, because his birthday is on Boxing Day.”
Another neighbour said: “I just don’t understand it.
“The last time I saw her she was walking up to her house with a huge smile on her face, it certainly didn’t look like she was troubled.
“She was such a happy little thing and her two lads will be absolutely devastated.
“My heart goes out to her family at this difficult time.”
She added: “The street is in a state of shock, I don’t know of anything like this ever happening.”
Neighbour Katrina Pearson, 47, said: “Katrina was the nicest neighbour you could ever hope to have. She always had a smile on her face and time to say hello.
“I was really shocked when I found out what had happened, I had no idea she had any problems because she was always so happy.
“I still can’t believe it now.
You just don’t expect it on this street, normally it’s so quiet.”
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