A MAN who stabbed to death his common-law wife following a funeral for her brother was today (Thursday) locked up for life.

Paul Smart was convicted of murdering Angela Smeaton at their home hours after a wake for family and friends.

Smart admitted manslaughter, but claimed he was acting in self-defence when Ms Smeaton lunged at him with a carving knife.

A Teesside Crown Court jury of eight men and four women took two hours to reject his account and find him guilty of murder.

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton, QC, told the 49-year-old: "She did not have the knife. It was you who picked up that knife, that fearsome knife, and you used it to deadly effect."

Defence barrister, Toby Hedworth, QC, described the case as "grave" but said the killing was not premeditated.

He said father-of-one Smart has shown "continuing remorse" since the incident in the early hours of April 15.

Ms Smeaton, a chip shop owner, was knifed 12 times in the face, neck and arm at their home in Eddlestone Walk, Hartlepool.

In a 999 call, Smart told an operator: "I've just killed my wife who I've been with for 29 years. It's f***ing disgraceful."

In the 1.09am emergency call - which was played to the jury - Smart was heard to say: "Sorry love, you pushed me too much."

Asked by the call-handler where he had stabbed her, he said: "I don't know. It was in the f***ing . . . I think it was in the neck."

Prosecutor Tim Roberts, QC, said: "He told the operator that his wife was laid in a massive amount of blood on the floor.

"The operator asked him were there any signs of life and he seemed to remark, rather casually, that she might be breathing or moving, but he was in the toilet relieving himself."

Smart claimed Ms Smeaton lunged at him with the carving knife after they rowed about their son following the wake.

The prosecution said the welder had a history of violence and once pinned his partner to a wall while holding a divers' knife.

Judge Bourne-Arton told Smart he will have to serve a minimum of 15 years before he is eligible for parole.

He said Smart had tried to paint a false picture of arguments in their relationship, blaming his partner for any violence.

"I reject that assessment," the judge said. "Only you know why you did that which you did.

"You claimed it was because she was coming towards you with a knife and feared she was to attack you. The jury rejected that and I reject that.

"This was a sustained, albeit brief, violent, attack, using that fearsome weapon.

"She did not struggle, on that I am satisfied. The likelihood is that you had hold of her while you attacked her. Her hair was on your bloody hands.

"After you killed her, you phoned the police and the ambulance. Whilst that's to your credit, you were almost dispassionate in your appreciation of what you had done.

"There was then, at that stage, in my judgement, no outpouring of grief or remorse by you."