MALCOLM Palmer, 61, of Windsor Gardens, Long Sutton, pleaded guilty to the murder of Carol Cannom, 46, of the same address, on November 19 last year at Lincoln Crown Court today. He will be sentenced on Wednesday morning at Lincoln Crown Court. Police we

MALCOLM Palmer, 61, of Windsor Gardens, Long Sutton, pleaded guilty to the murder of Carol Cannom, 46, of the same address, on November 19 last year at Lincoln Crown Court today.

He will be sentenced on Wednesday morning at Lincoln Crown Court.

Police were called to an address in Windsor Gardens, Long Sutton, at about 7.50pm on November 19 last year after reports that a man had stabbed a woman.

Miss Cannom was found dead at the scene and Palmer was arrested on suspicion of murder. The couple had been in a relationship for 30 years and had three children together.

Miss Cannom had been stabbed repeatedly with a combination of a "dinner" knife and a folding lock knife. This attack took place in front of the couple's 10-year-old son who made the 999 call.

Claire Scott, 26, from the Sutton Bridge Area, is one of the couple's daughters.

She said: "They were together for 30 years of their life and for most of that time they had a happy and normal relationship.

"They had their ups and downs like any family - they argued occasionally like any couple.

"I think their relationship really started to suffer when they moved from their small holding to a much smaller house in Lincolnshire. Their mortgage was paid and they didn't need to work. They had a lot of time on their hands and little chance to get away from each other.

"In the past dad had worked a lot and mum was always outside - looking after the animals on the small holding. They started to get on each other's nerves - to grind each other down.

"There were suggestions in court of mum having an Internet and text affair. It just wasn't the case. She was a lonely woman who sent a few messages - she never met anyone.

"And playing on the Playstation a lot, which was also mentioned by the defence barrister, was just a release - a bit of escapism - neither of them were happy by that time.

"We all miss mum, she was a happy, caring and loving woman who was always there when we needed someone to talk to - I still want to talk to her now.

"For me this conviction is not easy - I've lost both my parents now. My head tells me that justice has to be done and dad deserves to go to prison - my heart just worries about him and misses him. I think about him lying in his cell - alone.

"I suppose it does allow us to move on with our lives a little bit - but it's all so confusing."

Det Ins Phil Denison said: "We have had the misfortune to investigate a terrible tragedy that has devastated an entire family.

"There was no doubt of Mr Palmer's guilt in killing his partner, but there are no winners in this case - the children are now faced with the double tragedy of effectively losing both of their parents.

"I would like to pay tribute to the bravery and the strength of all of the family members throughout what has undoubtedly been an extremely upsetting process for them.

"We just hope that in some way the conclusion of this case offers them a chance to move on and rebuild their lives together in the future.