CCTV shows Rebecca Press dancing and singing with victim hours before murdering him
The moment Rebecca Press sings and dances alongside family friend Marc Ash – before killing him hours later
On the face of it, the footage shows two people in good spirits, enjoying a summer stroll to the local pub.
But just hours after these images were captured, Rebecca Press had murdered her mother's friend and neighbour, Marc Ash, with a single stab wound to the heart.
The first CCTV images, captured at around 9:20pm on Saturday 16 July, show Press and Mr Ash heading out for a drink in New Tredegar.
Press seems in good spirits. But later in the evening – after a day of drinking which also saw the 32-year-old down four valium tablets – matters spiralled out of control.
After becoming abusive at the pub, Press headed to her mother’s house in Long Row, Elliots Town. Mr Ash, Press’s mother’s neighbour and friend, had returned to the address some time beforehand.
There, she got into a row with her mother and brother Gavin, to the point where Mr Ash phoned the police to report that “it was all kicking off.”
Cardiff Crown Court heard that Mr Ash continued to try and calm the situation, before Press took a knife from the kitchen draw and stabbed him with it using a “single overarm blow.”
The injury penetrated Mr Ash’s aortic arch and proved fatal.
The court was later told that Press told her mother: “I have stabbed your f***ing best friend."
Rebecca Press then left the address before later leaving a message on her boyfriend’s phone admitting what she’d done. But when she was later arrested and questioned by police, she feigned surprise, saying “Has someone died?”
A urine test later revealed traces of the drugs ecstasy, amphetamine, THC and benzodiazepines in her body.
At Thursday's sentencing hearing, the court heard that Press had previously made 32 separate court appearances for 16 offences between 2008 and 2021.
Her convictions include common assault, theft, affray and assault of an emergency worker.
Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke told the defendant that it was clear she’s caused “the most tremendous grief to Mr Ash’s family.”
Victim impact statements from Mr Ash’s daily were also read out in court. His family described him as a "gentle soul" who was "intelligent, kind, gentle and funny."
His daughter said, "I hope to study Law as a career and my father will never see me go to university, graduate, or start a family. He didn’t see me reach my 18th birthday, pass my driving test or exams of which I know he would be proud.
"All these opportunities I have been denied and will have to live with the fact that I no longer have a father for the rest of my life."
Millie Davies of the CPS said: “Rebecca Press killed Marc Ash, her mother’s neighbour and best friend, in a senseless act of gratuitous violence whilst under the influence of drink and drugs.
“During the course of the evidence being presented to the jury by the CPS, Press decided to change her plea, pleading guilty to murder.
“Marc Ash was simply trying to help a friend in distress, a decision which tragically cost him his life. Our thoughts remain with his family and friends.”
Rebecca Press was sentenced to serve at least 20 years behind bars before being considered for parole.