Woman jailed for killing best friend

A WOMAN who snapped after suffering years of physical and sexual abuse, but killed one of the few men to show her any kindness, has been jailed for five years and ten months.

Melanie Stevenson, 45, was in a deluded state, reliving some of the abuse in her mind, when she lashed out at Robert Brereton, 47, and inflicted 26 stab wounds.

She described him as her “best friend ever” and the High Court in Edinburgh heard she was heartbroken. However, Mr Brereton’s family condemned the jail term as “far too short”.

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Stevenson was charged with murdering Mr Brereton, from Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, in her home in Forfar, Angus.

However, psychiatrists reported she had “an abnormality of mind” at the time, and the charge was reduced to culpable homicide, because of diminished responsibility, which she admitted.

The court heard that Mr Brereton and Stevenson had a two-year relationship which ended some years ago, but they had remained friends.

He visited her on the evening of 30 March, and neighbours heard noises from her flat in the early hours. Stevenson jumped from a window and fractured her pelvis. Police were called and found Mr Brereton’s body.