Husband jailed for life for stabbing wife to death

A man who murdered his wife and left their two young sons to find her body has been jailed for life.

Andrew Tavener repeatedly stabbed his wife, Claire, at their Nailsea home sometime overnight between Sunday, 7 January and Monday, 8 January 2018.

The couple’s two young sons were left to discover their mother fatally injured before the eldest called police.

The 45-year-old then fled the Brendon Gardens address and attempted to take his own life by lying in front of a train at Nailsea and Backwell Station.

On arrival at the station, officers found Tavener with a significant injury to his hand after he had been hit by a train.

He admitted to officers while on the platform that he had just killed his wife.

Tavener spent the next few weeks in hospital receiving treatment to his left hand having lost several fingers before detectives were able to question him and subsequently charge him with murder on 1 February.

Today (10 April), he appeared at Bristol Crown Court where he was given a life term and told he would serve a minimum of 16 years and eight months behind bars before he will be considered for release.

Claire Tavener's family have released a statement praising her love for life and positive outlook.