Cardiff Man Sentenced to Life for Murdering Partner After Binge Drinking

People Also Read

How Paula Radcliffe’s daughter’s cancer shattered her world and changed her life forever

Taylor Swift’s Album Tops UK Charts Again After One Year

UK scientists to try dimming the Sun

Record Surge in Shoplifting Offences Hits England and Wales in 2024

Cardiff, Wales – Alcwyn Thomas, 44, has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his partner, Victoria Thomas, 45, at their home in Birchgrove, Cardiff. Thomas will serve a minimum of 20 years behind bars.

The sentencing follows a trial at Cardiff Crown Court where Thomas was found guilty of murder after initially admitting to manslaughter. He claimed Victoria’s death occurred during a consensual “sex act gone wrong,” specifically “erotic asphyxiation,” but denied any intent to kill her.

Evidence presented during the trial revealed that Thomas had spent the day of Monday, August 19, 2024, drinking heavily and using cocaine. CCTV footage showed the couple visiting The New Inn and Club 3000 Bingo with members of Thomas’s family. Witnesses described Thomas’s mood that evening as argumentative and volatile. He consumed 16 pints of lager and was seen taking cocaine outside the bingo hall, where an argument appeared to break out between him and Victoria before they took a taxi home.

The last confirmed sighting of Victoria alive was at 9:26 pm when she and Thomas returned to their residence.

Shortly after 11 pm, Thomas sent concerning text messages to his sisters, stating, “Sorry I done something so bad.”

Victoria’s body was discovered in the early hours of Tuesday, August 20, after Thomas’s niece, alarmed by the texts, went to check on her welfare.

Police found Thomas asleep in the couple’s bedroom. He initially gave “no comment” during police interviews but later confessed to intentionally strangling Victoria.

Detective Chief Inspector Matt Powell, the Senior Investigating Officer, expressed his condolences to Victoria’s family:

“Victoria Thomas was a much-loved daughter, mother, sister, aunt, and niece. Her devastated family have shown tremendous patience and dignity during this heart-breaking ordeal. Our thoughts are with them today as they have been throughout.”

DCI Powell also condemned Thomas’s lack of remorse:

“Alcwyn Thomas has shown no remorse and maintained that Victoria’s death was some kind of sex act gone wrong. He made no effort to revive her or seek help for her and having killed her he went to sleep in their bedroom. He now has to face up to the reality of what he did and spend a very long time in prison.”

Victoria’s family released a statement expressing their gratitude for the justice served and acknowledging the support they received:

“As a family we are very grateful that justice has been done in this case. We would like to thank everyone involved at South Wales Police who in addition to conducting a thorough and successful investigation have provided the most fantastic support to us all throughout. Thanks to Victim Support for everything they have offered the family to try and make our lives slightly easier. We would also like to thank the CPS and in particular the team involved in the preparation of the court case and Mike Jones KC for his excellent presentation of the evidence which led to the successful conviction of Vicki’s murderer.”

The statement concluded with the recognition that while justice has been served, the pain of their loss remains:

“We will never get Vicki back and that is something that we will have to live with for the rest of our lives but knowing that her murderer will not live the rest of his days in freedom provides some level of comfort.”