Woman admits manslaughter of her partner after domestic assault

WOMAN ADMITS MANSLAUGHTER OF HER PARTNER AFTER DOMESTIC ASSAULT

A woman has been pictured for the first time after admitting the manslaughter of her partner following an assault on New Year's Eve.

Police were called to a domestic incident on Rothwell Street in Everton shortly after 4pm on December 31 last year.

Steven Cox was found with "a number of serious injuries" at the scene and subsequently died in hospital in the early hours of New Year's Day.

Gillian Shaw, who is understood to be Mr Cox's long-term partner, was later charged with his murder.

She appeared before Liverpool Crown Court yesterday afternoon, Wednesday, to face this charge.

During the hearing, Shaw, 62, confirmed her name and pleaded guilty to manslaughter, stating: "Guilty of manslaughter, yeah." Prosecutor Gordon Cole KC explained that this plea was acceptable as an alternative to murder, based on a lack of intent.

Defense counsel Anne Whyte KC said that the circumstances of the case are specific to Shaw's situation with Mr Cox and suggested it was not necessary to assess her dangerousness.

Shaw is scheduled to be sentenced on July 18 and was remanded into custody until that date.

The judge, Denis Watson KC, ordered a pre-sentence report and stated, "I will sentence you on the 18th of July.

The fact that I am ordering a report is not a hint as to the sentence.

It will likely be a custodial sentence of some length." This case highlights a tragic domestic homicide resulting from an assault, with the offender now facing sentencing after her guilty plea to manslaughter.