Partner of Humberside Police officer Carole Forth jailed for six years for killing her after claiming she had 'ruined Christmas'

Edward Scott "lost his temper" after finding his long-term partner, Carole Forth, heavily intoxicated at the home they shared in Hull in December, 2018.

Ms Forth, 56, described by devastated family members as "intelligent, funny and optimistic", had a history of issues with alcohol and her mental health and had been admitted to hospital two weeks prior after taking an overdose of painkillers, a court heard.

She had worked as a Police Community Support Officer with Humberside Police for 12 years and was based at the force's Preston Road police station.

Emergency services were called to the couple's house on December 23 after Scott, 63, contacted them to say he had returned from delivering Christmas presents to find Miss Forth drunk and unresponsive.

Police arrived at the home to find him on the floor, cuddling her.

Miss Forth was cold and had no pulse, with paramedics sadly pronouncing her dead at the scene.

The following day, Scott told police his partner of more than 25 years had finished a bottle of wine and that he had "reached breaking point", angry that she had - in his words - "ruined Christmas".

Despite his version of events, Scott later told one of Ms Forth's sisters that he had shaken her by the neck whilst angry and left the room, before returning to find her unresponsive on the floor.

A subsequent post-mortem examination found that Ms Forth had sustained injuries to her neck consistent with asphyxiation.

The forensic pathologist also found a concentration of 338mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, which was nearly five times the drink driving limit and over the 300mg-level associated with fatal alcohol poisoning.

The examination also found few signs of struggle, suggesting Ms Forth had been heavily intoxicated when Scott strangled her.

Scott was originally charged with murder in August last year but pleaded guilty to manslaughter at Sheffield Crown Court on April 25 – a plea which the court accepted.

A victim impact statement read out on behalf of Miss Forth's sister, Tricia Bilton, said: "We have each felt the pain of Carole's death in different ways. Carole could be relied upon to give advice and support to us all and now that has been taken away from us.

"She was intelligent, kind, funny and optimistic.

"Carole had so much she still wanted to achieve and this has been taken away from her."

Defence barrister Richard Wright QC, in mitigation, said Scott "in no way" sought to blame Ms Forth for what happened or or to attribute any part of her cause of death to her.

"He accepts he assaulted her and caused her death," he said.

Sentencing Scott, of Woodhall Street, His Honour Judge Roger Thomas QC described Scott's crime as "a fatal attack of a woman in her own home" and "upon a woman who was defenceless, given the nature of her intoxication".

Addressing Scott, the judge said: "You had been in a relationship with Carole for 25 to 30 years and lived together in Hull.

"Although you denied responsibility for her death to the police, you did admit responsibility to her sister that you had shaken her by her neck."

He added: "Being annoyed and frustrated with Carole from drinking, you gripped her around her neck. You didn't intend for her to die and your admission to her unlawful killing reflects that."

Scott was also told the 189 days he spent on remand would be served in credit to the six year sentence.

Following Ms Forth's death, Detective Chief Inspector Christine Calvert said: “Carole was a valued and dedicated officer who is greatly missed by her colleagues and the community she served.

“Our thoughts are with her family, friends and colleagues, who are being supported by our teams.”

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