A man who once worked as a sales manager has admitted murdering his wife on the very day he was meant to face trial for her death.
Paul Knight, 36, changed his plea to guilty at Northampton Crown Court, ending months of legal proceedings and bringing a painful case closer to sentencing. His wife, 32-year-old Isobella “Izzy” Knight, was killed inside their family home in Burton Latimer while their two young daughters were asleep upstairs.
The killing happened in June last year at the couple’s home on Donnington Road in Burton Latimer. Prosecutors said Knight strangled his wife after being driven by jealousy. At the time, their daughters were in bed, unaware of what was happening downstairs.
The next morning, Knight contacted his mother and asked her to take care of the children. He told her that both he and his wife were unwell. After the girls were collected from the house, Knight made several attempts to end his own life. Those attempts failed.
He then left the home and later crashed his car in the car park of a nearby McDonald’s restaurant. Police were called to the scene to deal with the collision.
According to Northamptonshire Police, officers who arrived at the crash noticed Knight was behaving in an unusual way. Because of this, they decided to check his home address. When officers entered the property, they found Isobella Knight dead.
Knight was arrested soon after and charged with murder.
A post-mortem examination later confirmed that Mrs Knight died after pressure was applied to her neck.
For months, Knight denied murdering his wife. He did admit to manslaughter, saying he had unlawfully killed her but without intent. A two-week trial was due to begin this morning.
Instead, Knight stood in court and changed his plea.
As the charge of murder was read out again, Knight kept his head bowed. When asked how he pleaded, he replied quietly: “Guilty.”
His barrister, John Lloyd-Jones KC, told the court that he had met with his client before Christmas and that Knight had decided to admit murder.
“He has never denied that he unlawfully killed the victim in this case,” Mr Lloyd-Jones said. “He pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the first opportunity.”
He added that the events of that night had caused “huge anguish” for Knight and for many others affected by the death.
Judge Adrienne Lucking told Knight that there was only one sentence available in law for murder: life imprisonment. She explained that she would later decide the minimum number of years he must serve before being considered for parole.
Addressing the court, Judge Lucking said: “I commend the dignity and calm displayed in the courtroom today.”
The hearing was attended by several members of both Knight’s family and Mrs Knight’s family, who sat quietly as the plea was entered.
Knight will be formally sentenced on January 29.
After Mrs Knight’s death, neighbors on the small modern estate where the family lived spoke about what they had noticed. One neighbor said the couple had been heard “arguing quite a bit” in the past, though no further details were shared.
Despite this, many people said they were shocked by what happened. To those living nearby, the Knights appeared to be an ordinary family raising two young children.
In the days following her death, tributes poured in for Isobella Knight, known to friends and family as Izzy. Her parents shared emotional words describing the woman they lost.
“I want everyone to know that Izzy was so much more than a victim,” her mother Helena wrote. “She was a loving mother, a treasured daughter, a best friend in sister form, a talented artist, and a great friend.”
She added: “She laughed, she cried, she worked tirelessly to provide for her children, she had dreams, and she loved hard… we will make sure her girls grow up knowing what an incredible person she was.”
Izzy’s father, Tim, said her role as a mother stood out most.
“When I think of Izzy, it’s as a mum,” he said. “She was wonderful, she just shone.”
He explained that the family would continue to tell Izzy’s daughters about their mother and keep her memory alive.
“We will stand side by side and say to them ‘this is your mum, and she was brilliant and wonderful, and she loved you so much,’ just the way I have always loved her,” he said.
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector Torie Harrison, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit Major Crime Team, welcomed Knight’s guilty plea.
“This is a tragic case of violence against a woman who had everything to live for,” she said. “I am pleased Paul Knight has finally decided to tell the truth and admit to his wife’s murder.”
She described Izzy as “an incredible woman with so many positive qualities” and said her life was taken by “a man fuelled by jealousy and thoughts only for himself.”
“He has left two daughters without a mother,” DCI Harrison added. “There is no sentence that could ever make up for that.”
She also said she was relieved that Izzy’s family would not have to face the pain of a full trial.
Members of Izzy’s church also spoke about the loss. Rachael Newman from Burton Latimer Baptist Church said the news had deeply affected everyone.
“Izzy was the loveliest person, just an amazing, genuine friendly woman who never stopped smiling,” she said. “She was also a wonderful mother.”
Ms Newman explained that Izzy regularly visited the church and the local library with her daughters. She said Izzy had never spoken about any problems in her relationship.
“Why this has happened, we don’t know,” she said. “We are all absolutely devastated.”
As she spoke, Ms Newman placed flowers on the front lawn of the Knights’ home, joining a growing number of floral tributes left in Izzy’s memory.
The case will return to court later this month, when Knight learns how many years of his life sentence he must serve.
