A MAN who stabbed his partner to death as he cut his nails with a knife has been jailed for ten years.

Mark Dunning, 48, was three times over the drink drive limit when he got into a heated row with his partner of 25 years, Catherine Kirton.

Dunning claimed things came to a head when Ms Kirton, the mother-of-his-two children, hit him on the back of the head as he picked his nails with the blade.

Dunning defended himself by hitting out at Ms Kirton.

But a jury at Newcastle Crown Court agreed he did not realise he had the knife in his hand when he lashed out.

Christopher Attwooll, prosecuting said: "He said he had an injury to the back of the head, but there was no injury that could be seen."

Ms Kirton died after suffering five stab wounds to her stomach, legs and arms.

Dunning was jailed for a decade at Newcastle Crown Court today (TUE) after being found guilty of manslaughter by reason of provocation.

The court was told the couple's relationship hit the rocks last year after Ms Kirton's mother died and they ran into financial difficulty.

Sentencing Dunning, Judge David Hodson said: "It is indeed a tragic outcome that you and Catherine Kirton who had had a relationship for a quarter of a century fell into dispute on the night of 23 July.

"On that day, you went to the wake of a friend and you drank a colossal amount of alcohol.

"It appears from the evidence we have heard, you were sitting on the two-seater settee in your sitting room and you were using the knife we have seen to pare your finger nails and cut the skin around your cuticles.

"That according to the evidence you gave was a regular practice of yours.

"When Catherine came back, she started going on and on at you.

"You described her coming into the room and striking a blow on the back of your head.

"That caused you to rise your feet, the knife was in your hand and you stabbed her as we have heard at least five times."

The attack took place at the couple's home in Chestnut Square, Stockton-on-Tees, last year.

When police arrived at the scene, Dunning tried to cuddle Catherine and said: "She's alright, isn't she?" the jury heard.

However, Ms Kirton died hours later.

She was found to have suffered wounds to her abdomen, her thighs, her right calf and her left wrist.

Mr Attwooll said: ""She was in a very serious condition and taken to North Tees University Hospital.

"The wound to her left thigh had severed an artery, the stomach wound had cut through veins and another artery.

"She was immediately taken to surgery in an attempt to stem the bleeding but at 9.35am the deceased suffered a cardiac arrest."

In mitigation, Toby Hedworth QC, said: "Drunkenness cannot be an excuse for violence of this sort, but it provides the most reasonable explanation for why there was the temporary loss of control.

"This is a couple who have for many years been devoted to each other, but they had difficulties readjusting to full-time life together after the loss of Catherine Kirton's mother and there have been considerable financial difficulties as well.

"This has hit the defendant himself extremely hard, because he knows now he and he alone is responsible for the death of the person who meant most to him.

"He is never going to be able to shed that burden."