Alcoholic stabbed woman 177 times

Arthur Pitt-Pladdy has been warned he faces a life sentence

A chronic alcoholic who stabbed his partner 177 times has been found guilty of murder.

Arthur Pitt-Pladdy, 36, who stabbed Kim Butler, 44, at her home in Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire, had claimed she had "nagged" him.

Pitt-Pladdy then confessed to police from a phone box.

He had denied murder at Swansea Crown Court on the grounds of diminished responsibility but was convicted. Sentenced was adjourned.

Officers who went to the scene found Ms Butler's body with a knife in her neck.

The trial heard that Pitt-Pladdy met Ms Butler through a mutual friend after being released from jail and went to live with her at her flat.

This was a very savage attack which resulted in dreadful injuries to Kim Det Ch Insp Pam Kelly on Kim Butler

He later told police "she was not really my cup of tea" and that he used their relationship, which became sexual, to get a roof over his head.

He claimed Ms Butler had been "mouthy" and had triggered his assault by hitting and nagging him.

His defence team said Pitt-Pladdy was such a chronic alcoholic - he had been diagnosed as suffering from Alcohol Disorder Syndrome (ADS) - that his condition amounted to an abnormality of mind.

Pitt-Pladdy claimed that, after getting up and drinking two cans of Special Brew, he went to the pub and drank a series of whiskies and more Special Brew, later returning home via the off-licence to buy more alcohol.

Once back at the flat, he continued drinking until he went to the pub again, where he consumed more whisky and Special Brew, a quantity of tranquillisers and possibly heroin.

Pitt-Pladdy met Kim Butler and went to live with her after leaving prison

But the prosecution told the court he was sufficiently in control during his confession call to the police to remember to hyphenate his name.

The two Dyfed-Powys Police officers who arrested him at the phone box found he was drinking from a can of Special Brew.

Pitt-Pladdy had denied murder but admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

The verdict was greeted with shouts of "Yes" and clapping from the public gallery.

Outside court, a statement from Ms Butler's family was released in which she was described as a "very kind and caring person who is sadly missed by all".

It added: "Today's verdict is a very small but positive way of helping us come to terms with what has happened."

Det Ch Insp Pam Kelly of Dyfed-Powys Police said: "This was a very savage attack which resulted in dreadful injuries to Kim. Today's verdict is a just result."

The court heard that Pitt-Pladdy, who was born in Edmonton, north London, was jailed several times from 2003 onwards after being repeatedly convicted of harassment and breaching a restraining order made in relation to his mother.

He was also convicted in 2006 of actual bodily harm after he held a man while another man burned him with a lighter.

Mr Justice Lloyd-Jones told Pitt-Pladdy to expect a life term when he is sentenced at a date yet to be fixed.