15 January 2024 , 13:54
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A vet has been jailed for life and must serve a minimum of 15 years for stabbing to death his ex-girlfriend in a “senseless attack”.
Alberto Fioletti, 31, of Fordingbridge, Hampshire, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court for the killing of 34-year-old Stephanie Hodgkinson at her Bournemouth home on May 12.
A Dorset Police spokesman said the defendant and the victim had arranged to meet that day to discuss their relationship which Ms Hodgkinson had decided to end. Officers were dispatched after Fioletti called for an ambulance for his victim as well as for himself, as he had injured himself.
The force spokesman said: “Officers attended, forced entry and very sadly, Stephanie was found dead inside the property having sustained a number of stab wounds. Fioletti was also present at the address. He was treated by paramedics, arrested and taken to hospital for treatment to stomach wounds. He remained in hospital under arrest and police guard until Wednesday May 24 2023. When Fioletti was assessed as able to be discharged from hospital, he was brought to custody where he was interviewed by detectives.
The defendant admitted that he was responsible for Stephanie’s death. He had become angry after Stephanie had ended their seven-month relationship. A post-mortem examination found that Stephanie died as a result of stab wounds to the chest.”
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Victim Stephanie Hodgkinson
Stephanie Hodgkinson's former husband Callum Hodgkinson at Bournemouth Crown Court (BNPS)The court heard that after he attacked Ms Hodgkinson, Fioletti stabbed himself in the stomach before phoning 999 and telling the operator that he had ‘killed his girlfriend’. Daniel Marsh, senior crown prosecutor with CPS Wessex, said: “This was a senseless attack on an innocent young woman who was well within her rights to end a relationship she no longer wanted.
“Fioletti’s inability to come to terms with this and failure to manage his own emotions culminated in the needless murder of Ms Hodgkinson. Working closely with Dorset Police, the CPS set out to prove that Fioletti’s emotionally unstable personality disorder did not have a substantial impact upon his actions. Two medical reports were prepared for the trial, neither of which clearly stated that Fioletti had the defence of diminished responsibility available to him. Put simply, he knew exactly what he was doing and was fully responsible for his actions. We want to pay tribute to Ms Hodgkinson’s family for the courage and dignity they have shown throughout this process, and hope today’s sentence provides some closure on this awful chapter for them.”
The scene of the crime in Bournemouth (BournemouthEcho/BNPS)Detective Inspector Mark Jenkins said: “This was an incredibly sad incident where Stephanie, a young mother of two, lost her life during a brutal and violent attack by a man she had only known for a short time, but that she trusted. I can only imagine the devastation his actions have caused to Stephanie’s young children, her parents, family and friends who have suffered immeasurable loss. My thoughts and those of the whole investigation team remain with them at this extremely difficult time. My hope is that the outcome today brings some small comfort that justice has been served.”