'We were a three' - daughter on losing both parents as Penelope Jackson guilty of husband's murder

The daughter of a man knifed to death by his wife said “every aspect of my life has been turned upside down” since her mother murdered her father.

Penelope Jackson was found guilty of murdering her husband of 24 years, David Jackson. She was sentenced to 18 years in prison at Bristol Crown Court on Friday 29 October.

While Jackson did not react when the verdict was given, she broke down as her daughter - Isabelle Potterton - gave her victim impact statement.

Mrs Potterton - who was Mr Jackson's step daughter who he raised since birth - said she "lost" both of her parents on the night of his murder in February this year.

"My whole world [to fall] away from my feet," she said.

Mrs Potterton, who is pregnant with her first child, said she will "always love" both of her parents, but said her mum is "not the same person" she knew.

"I have lost the man that I looked up to and loved", she said.

"I have lost the man that was always there for me no matter what. The man that came and fixed things in my house which I didn’t know even needed fixing. The man that could make me laugh.

"But I feel I have also lost my mum.

"I have lost the woman who always knew how to make me feel better. The woman who was my friend, my champion and my support. The woman who cared, cherished and loved me.

"Yes I know mum is here but she’s not the same person I knew.

"I don’t know what the future holds but I do know that the relationship I once cherished can never be built back to what it was," she added.

Mrs Potterton said she had a “great life” with her parents, adding “we were a three”.

"I love both of them. I always have and I always will," she said.

“(My parents) might occasionally make mistakes and I might have done too, that’s called being human, regardless, I always felt supported, loved and cared for by my parents.

“There was nothing I couldn’t do because I had their backing.

“With our family dynamic being as complex as they are, I am both of (my parents’) next of kin. I have had to pick up the pieces.”

'I will never be able to forgive you'

Mrs Potterton's husband, Tom, said he would never be able to forgive Penelope for the hurt she has caused his wife.

Mr Potterton addressed his mother-in-law, saying: "I can honestly say I will never be able to forgive you for the pain and suffering you have caused (Isabelle).”

“Isabelle has had to process the circumstances around (her father’s death), particularly the involvement of her mother.”

He continued: “As I tried to explain to you when I visited you in prison, you have no idea how much pain and suffering you have caused (Isabelle), you don’t see the hurt and anguish she goes through every day.”

Mr Potterton finished by saying: “This did not have to happen. It was a selfish act with no regard to how it may affect those who were close to yourself and David.

"You could have walked away but you chose not to."

'You’ve taken so much from a family that has already felt so much pain'

David Jackson's estranged daughter, Jane Calverley, accused Penelope Jackson of being the abuser in the relationship, while speaking in court.

Ms Calverley said her father would never have sought help because he would have been too proud to admit to being bullied and abuse by his wife.

Ms Calverley said despite being estranged she had always loved her father, adding: “By taking his life you have taken away all possibility of us re-establishing a relationship.”

She continued: “You have taken so much from us all. My father was a proud man, this probably cost him his life because he would he would never have sought help.”

Ms Calverley said the defendant had “ultimate power” over the victim, adding: “You held on so tight to him and controlled him to prevent him from leaving.”

“You’ve taken so much from a family that has already felt so much pain,” she said.