Witnesses have spoken of the shocking moment holidaymaker Katie Brankin was stabbed to death in Limavady last year.
Katie Brankin (37) from Newtownabbey was stabbed by her partner Thomas Davidson (53) at the Swanns Bridge glamping site on July 12 while they were on holiday with their infant daughter.
An inquest today concluded Ms Brankin died from a stab wound in the back that Davidson had inflicted after they argued in their camper van.
Paul Ryan, a witness who was staying in a glamping cabin next door, described how Ms Brankin came out on to decking and called for help and said she had been stabbed.
While calling 999, he said Davidson appeared and handed him a baby.
Mr Ryan passed the baby to his partner Jade Hill, who ran to get help from the campsite manager.
Davidson then reappeared with a knife and stabbed his partner again in the neck and the head.
The campsite manager said Davidson attempted to take his own life. Police arrived on the scene first and restrained him while administering first aid, with paramedics arriving shortly afterwards, the inquest heard.
A statement from a paramedic said Ms Brankin was pronounced dead at the scene while Davidson was taken to hospital.
He confessed to his crimes during a police interview that day, claiming that he “lost it” when they had argued while making dinner when Ms Brankin allegedly made negative comments about his family.
Davidson was charged with her murder but died by suicide the following month while on remand in Maghaberry Prison.
His death will be the subject of a separate inquest.
Also giving evidence was a lifelong friend of Ms Brankin, Ashleigh Campbell, who described the relationship between Ms Brankin and Davidson.
She said she had never been aware of a history of domestic violence or abuse, but that her friend had depended on him heavily.
Ms Brankin had had mental health issues since her teenage years, the inquest heard, and Ms Campbell said her friend had struggled to cope after the birth of her daughter.
While she said that Davidson had been supportive in many ways, she described their relationship as strained and that Ms Brankin had told her she was not happy and felt trapped.
She added that the coronavirus pandemic had added to her stress, with lockdown restrictions preventing her from getting out as normal.
In his findings, coroner Joe McCrisken found the cause of death to be a stab wound to Ms Brankin’s back in the campervan.
He said a post mortem result concluded it was unlikely she could have survived this even if she had received help immediately.
Thanking those who came to her help on the site and the emergency services, he also welcomed a new plan from the PSNI to tackle violence against women and girls.
