Emma Day murder: Ex-boyfriend admits killing mother of his child by stabbing her in the chest

An ex-boyfriend has admitted murdering the mother of his daughter by stabbing her to death in a row over child support outside her home.

Mother-of-two Emma Day was stabbed in the heart with a kitchen knife near her home in West Norwood, south London, in May.

Mark Morris, 39, of Cranbrook Road, Croydon, pleaded guilty to the murder on Thursday ahead of a trial at the OId Bailey, Met Police said.

He had previously pleaded guilty to the 33-year-old hospital worker's manslaughter on the basis of "loss of control" and having an offensive weapon.

Ms Day, a former pupil of Sydenham School who worked as a ward clerk at King's College Hospital, was attacked by her former partner just after 7pm on Thursday, May 25. It was just days after her 33rd birthday.

Morris was in a relationship with Ms Day between 2008 and 2016 and they have a daughter together. Ms Day also has an older son from a previous relationship.

Following their separation, both children went to live with Ms Day. Shortly before her murder, Ms Day had sought Child Support Agency payments from Morris for their daughter.

Morris was angry and confronted her before fatally stabbing her in the chest.

Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC asked if it was the Crown's case that Morris had gone out with a knife "with the view to killing his partner".

Prosecutor Sarah Whitehouse QC said the Crown accepted Morris had "mixed feelings" but not that he had forgotten he had a knife with him.

She said: "We cannot put it as high as saying it was a cold-blooded murder from the very outset."

The court heard Morris said his "mind was in turmoil" and the couple earlier had a "lengthy argument and discussion" before the killing.

The victim's sister and brother-in-law were in court to see the defendant admit his guilt.

Mrs Whitehouse told the court how Morris had been researching ways to kill himself on the day of the murder.

She said: "When he left his house that very morning he had been searching on websites for means to commit suicide.

"That is why it does not seem unreasonable that he may have had 'mixed feelings' as he set out but one of his intentions was to kill."

Detective Inspector John Massey, the senior investigating officer from the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "This was a pre-meditated, brutal attack where Morris laid in wait for Emma so he could confront her. When the conversation did not go his way, he has followed Emma, produced a large knife and stabbed her to death before fleeing the scene.

"This horrific attack on a defenceless young woman was witnessed by Emma’s lifelong friend who desperately tried to protect her from Morris. Thankfully, Emma’s children did not witness the attack but they have still had their loving mother taken away from them.

"I hope today’s conviction will give Emma’s family and friends a measure of comfort and closure.