A MAN who stabbed his partner to death in their kitchen then tried to kill himself was jailed for life yesterday.

The jury at Teesside Crown Court took two hours to return a guilty verdict on Simon Keogh, who had denied murdering teacher Lesley Grant. Keogh, 40, shook his head slowly as the jury gave their verdict.

The eight-day trial heard how Miss Grant, 43, was found stabbed to death at the couple's Loftus home on November 24. Jobless Keogh, her partner of four years, was found lying badly injured beside her.

Jeremy Richardson QC, prosecuting, told the jury that it was believed that Miss Grant and Keogh had argued that night.

He said Keogh had severely beaten Miss Grant and she had grabbed a knife to protect herself. But Keogh had disarmed her then stabbed her to death.

The prosecution said most of Keogh's injuries were self-inflicted, either as a genuine attempt at suicide or to support his claim that he had acted in self-defence.

Judge Mr Justice Bennett told Keogh: "You have brought misery and pain to her parents and family and they will be the ones who have to bear her loss for the rest of their lives."

lFamily talk of their heartbreak: Page