Retired nurse Alyson Nelson was stabbed seven times in her Whitehead home by her former partner who was motivated by jealousy, a court heard on Friday.
Details of the murder - which was branded as “a wicked act” by the barrister representing her killer William Finlay - emerged for the first time at Belfast Crown Court.
Finlay (68) pleaded guilty to murdering Ms Nelson on April 16, 2022 and he was informed today that he will be sentenced next Thursday when a tariff regarding how long he will spend in prison before he is considered eligible for release will be imposed.
The offence was aggravated by reason of involving domestic abuse.
As the family and friends of Ms Nelson, including her four children, sat in the public gallery, they heard how the much-loved grandmother was murdered in around a minute.
After meeting online, Finlay and Ms Nelson (64) embarked on a relationship in December 2018 which ended 18 months before he killed her.
In April 2022, Ms Nelson was in a new relationship - and it was Finlay’s jealousy which prompted his actions on the evening of Saturday April 16, 2022.
From Old Forde Gardens, Finlay - who was in the Navy for 50 years - was captured on her ring doorbell footage entering Ms Nelson’s Victoria Avenue home.
Around a minute later, he was again captured exiting her home - and whilst leaving, he was seen wiping a knife with a cloth then walking up the street.
Crown barrister David McDowell KC revealed that on the day she was murdered, Ms Nelson and her new partner had been out in a local pub enjoying drinks before Finlay arrived in the bar.
CCTV footage from the bar showed the former couple engaged in a brief conversation.
A short time after this, Ms Nelson left the bar on her own and went home.
At around 6pm, a worker in a chip shop opposite Ms Nelson’s home noticed a hooded man, dressed all in black, entering her home.
Mr McDowell said this same woman then heard what she described as a “massive scream that seemed to go on forever.”
She then saw the same male leaving the house and as he had his hood down, she recognised him as William Finlay and thought he had a knife in his hand.
Believing the screaming was from Ms Nelson, the woman and a colleague crossed the road and wrapped Ms Nelson’s door.
The prosecutor said that after the woman managed to open the door, she was found Ms Nelson lying facedown in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor.
Police were directed to Finlay’s address and as they approached his door, they saw Finlay with a bottle of cleaning fluid in his hand.
When he saw police, Finlay said: “It’s me you’re looking for. I’m here.”
He was arrested and a number of items including blood-stained clothing and shoes, gloves and a cloth were located in his property.
The murder weapon, which was taken from a knife block in his kitchen, was also recovered - and was shown to Mr Justice O’Hara during Friday’s hearing.
Whilst being taken to Antrim Police Station, Finlay told police ‘I’m not going to deny anything” but adopted a ‘no comment’ response the following day and claimed a wound on his hand was due to cutting himself opening a tin of peas.
Mr McDowell said it appeared Finlay was “unable to accept his relationship with Ms Nelson was over” and that he was “very jealous” of her new relationship.
He also revealed Finlay has a history of domestic-related incidents.
Turning to Ms Nelson’s family, Mr McDowell spoke of the devastating impact her murder has had on her loved ones.
He said: “They describe her kind heart and big fun-loving personality as well as the dreadful impact on and the enormous loss suffered by her four children, her four grandchildren, her two brother, those closest too her - and indeed others who knew her at all.”
Finlay’s barrister Gary McHugh KC started his submissions by saying his client is “entirely accepting of his guilt and recognises the magnitude of his offending.
”Whilst it will offer little or any comfort to the family and friends of Mrs Nelson, he has instructed his lawyers to communicate his sincere sorrow and remorse for his offending.
”He recognised and acknowledges that his actions were wicked. This was a wicked act.”
After listening to the Crown and defence, Mr Justice O’Hara said he wanted time to reflect on what he had heard and said he would impose the tariff upon Finlay on Thursday February 1.