A 35-year old woman will spend a minimum of 14 years in jail for the murder of her partner Anthony Browne in October 2022.
Wiktoria Maksymowicz stabbed Mr Browne once in the neck in his Poleglass home which was a culmination of prior incidents of domestic violence.
Due to his level of intoxication on the evening of October 14, 2022, it’s highly likely that Mr Browne was unconscious when he was stabbed and killed in the bedroom of his bungalow at Woodside Park.
As relatives of the deceased including his twin daughters Bobbi-Leigh and Shannon McIlwaine sat in the public gallery in Court 13 at Belfast Crown Court, Mr Justice O’Hara spoke of a history of “casual domestic violence” Maksymowicz inflicted upon Mr Browne.
The court heard that as a result of their father’s murder, the twins have both been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
The senior judge said the murder was aggravated by a violent incident the night before, when Maksymowicz stabbed Mr Browne in the leg with a knife in front of his nephew.
Mr Justice O’Hara also spoke of prior incidents of violence which Maksymowicz inflicted upon Mr Browne during their six-month relationship which were not reported to the PSNI.
Maksymowicz pleaded guilty in May 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 on October 14, 2022 and possessing cannabis on the same date.
She also admitted charges of possessing a knife on a Glider bus and assaulting Mr Browne the day before his murder, on October 13, 2022.
On Wednesday, the 14-year tariff was imposed and she will serve the full term before her release is considered by the Parole Commissioners.
Speaking after the tariff was imposed by Mr Justice O’Hara, the PPS’s Margaret Kinney said: “Mr Browne was a much-loved father. His senseless murder has brought his children and wider family circle tremendous loss and pain.
“I hope today’s sentencing hearing will help provide some healing and closure to them.
“The prosecution team in the PPS Serious Crime Unit worked closely with the Police Service of Northern Ireland as they carried out a full investigation, to bring Maksymowicz before the court and build a strong case against her, resulting in the guilty plea.”
Ms Kinney added that anyone could be the victim of domestic abuse.
“It is never acceptable, and this case shows that it can have the worst possible outcome,” she said.
“I would encourage anyone experiencing domestic abuse to seek help and report the crime to police.
“We understand that some people may find this difficult, and we are committed to working with all of our criminal justice partners to ensure that victims are treated with sensitivity, fairness, and empathy.”