Ex-soldier killed his fiancee while on bail for threatening her with gun, inquest told
A man who was granted bail after threatening his fiancée with a gun, killed her in a frenzied attack just weeks later, an inquest has heard.
Terence Papworth, 45, used a vodka bottle and ornamental sword in the "sustained" attack against Amy-Leanne Stringfellow, 26, a former Army reservist who had served in Afghanistan.
Papworth had been charged and released on bail after attacking Miss Stringfellow - a former Miss Great Britain bodybuilder the previous month.
Doncaster Coroner's Court heard a post-mortem examination found 58 different injuries, including a stab wound to Ms Stringfellow's neck and fractures to her cheek, jaw and eye sockets.
Miss Stringfellow met Papworth in October 2019 and got engaged two months later on New Year's Eve, the court heard.
Initially he showered her with gifts and her mother welcomed him into the family.
But the following May he was charged with assault after threatening Miss Stringfellow with a gun.
He was bailed on the condition he would not have any contact with her and was released to appear at court again in July.
But on June 5, Miss Stringfellow visited him at his home in Doncaster and he killed her in a frenzied attack.
He later handed himself into the police and was charged with murder.
Papworth was found dead in Leeds Prison in November.
Detective Constable Mark Briggs of South Yorkshire Police told the inquest the force was not investigating anyone else for Amy-Leanne's death.
He added Papworth had argued he acted in self-defence because Amy-Leanne had attempted to attack him with a hi-fi.
But he said officers discovered the hi-fi was plugged in and would not have reached the bed as he claimed.
Returning a verdict of unlawful killing, coroner Louise Slater said: "There is only one conclusion I have considered and that is one of unlawful killing on the balance of probability.
"I have to say that even if this court had the threshold of a higher standard of proof, I would have been satisfied with the same conclusion.
"Amy-Leanne was clearly much-loved and cherished by her family and she will never be forgotten."
