Life sentence for partner murder

Stallion must serve at least 14 years

A man has been jailed for life for the murder of his epileptic partner, who died from a head injury.

Steven Stallion, 46, of Sheridan Court, Temple Hill, Dartford, denied murdering Victoria Tomsett, 37, in St Edmunds Road in the town on 18 October, 2007.

A jury at Maidstone Crown Court took three and a half hours on Friday to unanimously find him guilty of murder.

He was sentenced to serve a minimum term of 14 years in jail by His Honour Judge Carey.

Ms Tomsett's body was found two days after the murder.

'Justice done'

Detective Inspector Gavin Moss, from Kent Police's Major Crime Department, said: "Suffering from epilepsy, Victoria was vulnerable. She should have been able to rely on her partner for empathy, reassurance and proper care.

"Instead, he subjected her to sustained and brutal physical and emotional abuse before doing the worst thing that any human being can do to another - he took her life.

"Stallion is a violent alcoholic but this is no excuse for what he did and the jury agreed. "

Her family said in a statement: "We miss Vicky a lot and can now let her rest in peace although she will never be forgotten.

"It's been a very long 20 months since Vicky's death and we could not ask for a better result so near to her birthday (Wednesday, 1 July) when she would have been 38 years old.

"Justice has been done today."