Lisburn man pleads guilty to Jayne Toal Reat Christmas murder

Jayne Toal Reat died after she was stabbed on Christmas Day 2017. Credit: Pacemaker

A Lisburn man has been jailed for life after admitting the murder of a nurse on Christmas Day.

Jayne Toal Reat, 43, died after she was stabbed at a house in the Mornington Lane area of Lisburn on 25th December 2017.

Nathan Ward pleaded guilty at Craigavon Crown Court on Thursday morning after being rearraigned on the charges in the case.

The 20-year-old, whose from Mornington Lane in Lisburn, also admitted wounding his own father in the same incident.

Following the guilty pleas, Judge Patrick Lynch QC jailed the self-confessed killer for life.

The case was adjourned pending a number of reports from a psychiatrist, probation and victim impact reports.

Ward will find out the minimum tariff he will spend behind bars in March.