A man murdered by his partner in his west Belfast home died from a single stab wound to the neck, a court has heard.
As details concerning the murder of Anthony Browne (54) emerged for the first time, his killer Wiktoria Maksymowicz (35) was told she will be sentenced next Wednesday.
Belfast Crown Court heard that due to his level of intoxication on October 14 2022, it was highly likely that Tony Browne was unconscious when he was stabbed and killed in his Poleglass home.
Mr Browne’s loved ones including his twin daughters sat in the public gallery on Thursday.
Maksymowicz pleaded guilty last month to three offences ‘aggravated by reason of involving domestic abuse’ including murder and was handed a life sentence.
The Polish national, with an address at Woodside Park, pleaded guilty to murdering Mr Browne.
She also admitted charges of possessing a knife on a Translink bus and assaulting Mr Browne the day before his murder.
Crown barrister Frank O’Donoghue KC told Thursday’s plea hearing that Mr Browne had been sober for around 10 years before meeting Maksymowicz.
The prosecutor said she began staying over at his bungalow, they entered into a relationship and after this Mr Browne’s life “unfortunately and tragically descended from that point into alcohol and drug addiction, culminating in his murder”.
The evening before the murder, a nephew of Mr Browne’s called at his home.
Mr O’Donoghue said: “While the three of them were drinking in the living room, the defendant went into the kitchen.
“When she came back into the living room, she had a silver dinner knife ... and she then stabbed the deceased just above his right knee.”
The prosecutor said Mr Brown’s nephew claimed Maksymowicz attacked her partner “out of nowhere”.
Just before 10pm the next day, a 999 call was made by Maksymowicz who said she required an ambulance.
Paramedics discovered an unconscious male lying on the bedroom floor bleeding heavily from a wound to the right side of his neck. Maksymowicz was holding a tea towel to Mr Browne’s neck.
Mr Browne died later at the Royal Victoria Hospital.
Mr O’Donoghue confirmed that the deceased died from a single stab wound to his neck.
Defence barrister Gavan Duffy KC said Maksymowicz immediately accepted she was responsible.
He said his client has expressed “regret and remorse for her actions and the consequences of her actions”.
As Maksymowicz was led back into custody by prison staff, Mr Browne’s loved ones held up a picture of him.
