A man has been jailed for at least 24 years for killing his partner in Huyton.
Rebekah Campbell was stabbed 27 times by Michael Ormandy after he burst into her flat at Knowsley Heights on April 15 this year wearing a bulletproof vest.
Ormandy claimed he had acted in self-defence despite on suffering a single cut to his hand in the altercation which required only minor hospital treatment.
Three days before the incident, the former boxer and cage fighter had left Campbell with a black eye after punching her during a night out in Liverpool city centre.
He then had sex with a woman in a Southport hotel before telling her that he was ‘going to Liverpool to sort something out’ on the day of the fatal incident.
Ormandy threw his mobile phone into a canal he was walking alongside shortly before being arrested by detectives on suspicion of the 32-year-old’s murder.
He was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday (October 16) to life behind bars with a minimum term of 24 years after being found guilty of killing Campbell.
As he was led down to cells, the 34-year-old shouted ‘You little tramp. You little rat’ in towards the public gallery which contained members of his former partner’s family.
Detective Superintendent Ben Dyer said: “First and foremost, my thoughts remain with Rebekah’s family and friends as they continue to grieve their tragic loss.
“They have shown dignity and courage throughout the trial, which must have been incredibly difficult as Ormandy chose to deny the offence despite the overwhelming evidence against him.
“Thankfully, the jury saw through his obvious lies and I hope his sentencing can now bring Rebekah’s family some comfort.
“To claim his vicious attack was in self-defence and then trying to paint himself as a victim is utterly appalling.
“Ormandy will now rightly spend a significant amount of time behind bars and our communities are safer with him removed from the streets.”
Superintendent Dyer added: “I would urge anyone who may be a victim of domestic abuse, or know someone who might be, to please reach out for help to the police or a local support service.
“Domestic abuse comes in many forms. If you are suffering from physical, sexual, psychological or financial abuse, or are being threatened, intimidated or stalked by a current or previous partner or close family member, it’s likely you’re a victim of domestic abuse.
“We take reports of domestic abuse extremely seriously, and we are here to listen and support you and bring perpetrators to justice. Merseyside Police is determined to break that cycle of abuse where perpetrators continue to commit crime after crime against their victim thinking that every time they do, they are less likely to get caught.
“We remain dedicated to listening to the voices of women and girls to understand what more policing can do to keep them safe and will continue to put effective measures in place to respond to those fears and concerns.”
If you have any non-urgent information on domestic abuse – if you are a victim or believe someone you know is a victim – you can contact Merseyside Police via direct message @MerPolCC on Twitter, ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’ on Facebook or contact @CrimestoppersUK, anonymously on 0800 555 111.
If you are in immediate danger, always call 999. If you ring 999 and are not in a safe position to speak to us then cough, or tap, the phone and press 55, when prompted. This will alert the operator that you need assistance and we will provide support.
You can also request information under Clare’s Law, the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme. This scheme enables the police to release information about any previous history of violence or abuse a person might have.