08 December 2023 , 16:32
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A vet who brutally stabbed his girlfriend seven times because she saw no future together for the pair has been found guilty of murder.
Mum-of-two Stephanie Hodgkinson had been working as a veterinary nurse and met Dr Alberto Fioletti through a dating website. But the relationship turned sour and the victim had decided to bring it to an end. However, she agreed to meet the Italian, who had a narcissistic personality disorder, one last time.
Fioletti and Stephanie had a heated argument on May 5 this year before she kicked him out of her home. A court heard how, before he leaving the property he told her: "I hope you're happy with yourself. You're gonna have a death on your hands now."
The pair agreed to meet to talk on May 12. But Stephanie, 34, intended to go on a beach walk because she was worried about being alone with him.
Dr Alberto Fioletti murdered his girlfriend in a fit of rage (BNPS)Bournemouth Crown Court heard that Stephanie had told her sister she wanted to meet him in a public place to tell him she couldn't see a future together and that the day before the meeting Fioletti texted his Italian doctor saying: "If I had to definitely lose her tomorrow night, this time I will have to put an end to it once and for all."
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The 31-year-old went to her flat with flowers and a card in an attempt to reconcile but snapped when she insisted their relationship was over. He said he then had "the worst anger" he had ever known and stabbed Stephanie six times in the chest and once in the back with a kitchen knife.
The killer then stabbed himself in the stomach before calling 999 and telling the operator: "I killed my girlfriend". Police and paramedics arrived at the flat in Alum Chine, Bournemouth, Dorset, and found Stephanie on the floor next to the breakfast bar in her kitchen.
The court was told that her injuries were "non-survivable" with severe trauma to her heart, lungs and blood vessels, causing catastrophic bleeding. Cops arrested the vet for murder and he was taken to hospital for treatment to his wounds.
He admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility but denied murder. But following a three-week trial a jury convicted him of her murder.
The trial had earlier heard that inferiority issues due to his "small penis" led to his personality disorder and that he had slept with many women to "validate" himself. He had manipulated previous girlfriends by threatening to kill himself to gain sympathy.
The court was told that the pair had been in a relationship since October 2022, that he had met her children and they had travelled to Italy to meet his parents. They had also planned to buy a house together.
Steven Perian KC, prosecuting, said Stephanie had been chopping vegetables in her kitchen when Fioletti arrived. Mr Perian said: "This tragedy unfolds as an intimate partner killing, ignited by Stephanie Hodgkinson's courageous decision to terminate their relationship.
"She was not prepared to be manipulated by him. The defendant's profound inability to come to terms with her rejection culminated in his relentless, brutal assault, marked by seven merciless and devastating stab wounds.
"Regrettably, despite best efforts, Stephanie could not be saved, succumbing to the grievous injuries she had received due to the relentless bleeding. He was interviewed... he admitted to punching Stephanie Hodgkinson in the face.
"He said he was completely out of control. The trigger for his loss of control was because of his breakdown of the relationship with Stephanie Hodgkinson."
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Although they were both employed at veterinary practices their work place only overlapped for a month when Fioletti worked at Southern Counties Veterinary Specialists in Ringwood, Hants, in January this year. He was working at Medivet clinic at the time of the murder and she had quit her job to study for a degree in philosophy of art. Fioletti will be sentenced for murder on January 15.