Stephen Garner, 31, of Somerton Court, Blackley, has been found guilty of murdering his pregnant girlfriend Amber O'Brien, who suffered more than 60 separate stab, incised and puncture wounds in a frenzied attack at his flat. He is due to be sentenced on November 26.
The killing came after a toxic three-month relationship between the pair. Police were called to the flat in Somerton Court, Blackley, after Garner's cousin contacted them, and officers made the grim discovery in the bathroom.
The Discovery
PC Natalie Bell had initially been unable to get into the eighth-floor flat, but with the assistance of a battering ram, police gained entry. As officers moved to the bathroom, the odour of bleach became stronger. A large blue tarpaulin lay in the bathroom, which was warm and humid.
After removing the sheeting, PC Bell saw a lifeless woman lying on her back, naked, with multiple stab wounds to her neck and face. She was cold to the touch. It quickly became apparent that whoever had been responsible had tried to clean up the scene, with blood splatters on a cabinet and blood smeared on a glass table and a chest of drawers.
The Aftermath
Hours after killing Amber O'Brien, Garner had been to Poundland in Harpurhey, Screwfix in Middleton and B&Q at the Fort. He bought two bottles of bleach and scouring sponges from Poundland on April 18, an extra large one-tonne builder's bag from Screwfix, and a 4m x 5m blue tarpaulin from B&Q.
The following day, he turned up at his cousin's house unannounced, asking to borrow a torch. When she learned the truth of what he had done, she asked Garner: "Is this why you wanted the torch? Were you trying to hide her?"
It was about tea time the following evening that Garner finally realised the truth had caught up with him. "What have you done?," Garner's cousin asked him. "Have you hit her?". Garner replied: "No, it's worse." She called the police, and minutes later officers made the grim discovery.
The Relationship
The pair had met in February this year, around the area where Amber lived in her flat in Baguley Crescent, Middleton. Garner lived in Somerton Court, Blackley. Amber, who her family said had a 'warm smile' and a 'truly kind heart', was close to her mum and brother Michael.
Amber fell pregnant with twins, but got in touch with health services saying she wanted a termination, that she wasn't ready to have a baby and claiming she was a victim of domestic violence. On Friday, April 17, the penultimate day of her life, Amber attended the hospital for a scan where all appeared well.
Hours before Garner killed Amber, he had attended a pub in Swinton with a friend. He said he dropped off Amber at her mother's home. "We took some cocaine, we drank some alcohol at the pub," Garner said of him and his friend. Later, he picked Amber up and they returned to his flat with his pal.
Garner and Amber argued again and accused him of cheating on her. At trial, Garner claimed to have 'lost control' after saying Amber had told him she had had an abortion, a claim rejected by the jury.
Amber's family paid tribute to her following her death. They said in a statement: "We are deeply saddened by the loss of Amber. Her passing has left us devastated, and she will be fondly remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing her."
