Killer stabbed mum in the throat during cocaine-fuelled sadomasochist sex session

A 24-YEAR-OLD man who killed a woman by accidentally stabbing her through the neck during cocaine-fuelled sadomasochistic sex has been jailed for six years.

Jason Gaskell was caged at Sheffield Crown Court after admitting the gross negligence manslaughter of 21-year-old Laura Huteson in his Hull home in what a judge described as a "highly unusual case".

The pair had only met the evening she was killed and had been drinking vodka, as well as taking cocaine.

They had sex during which Gaskell put his hands round Miss Huteson's neck but he eventually stopped when she used an agreed safe word.

Later that night the two of them were seen playing in the snow outside the house but had sex again later.

Gaskell held the knife to Miss Huteson's throat and first realised something was wrong when "she gave a jerking motion".

He said the defendant called 999 and paramedics arrived to find him in state of extreme panic but also rude and confrontational. Gaskell later told police Miss Huteson had fallen or rolled onto the knife.

Judge Jeremy Richardson QC told Gaskell, who sobbed as he was sentenced: "In simple terms you unlawfully killed the woman with whom you were having sexual intercourse by stabbing her through the neck during bizarre and violent, sadomasochistic sexual activity.

"You deliberately held the knife to her throat during sexual intercourse. Whilst performing the sexual act that knife went through her neck, severing a vital artery and vein.

"You did not intend that to happen but the danger of stabbing the victim was obvious."

The judge said there was no suggestion the sex was non-consensual.

He said: "It appears you harboured a desire for, and regularly put into practice, a particularly extreme form of sexual activity in that you enjoyed sadomasochism whereby you held the throats of sexual partners very tightly and regularly used a knife in the midst of sexual congress, usually by holding it against the throat of a woman.

"You kept a knife under your pillow for that purpose."

Judge Richardson said Ms Huteson was a "much-loved daughter", although she had become estranged from her family.

He said: "It is also a sad feature of this case that she ever became involved with you."

As he was led from the dock Gaskell, who wept through large parts of the hearing, thanked the judge before looking to the public gallery and saying "I love you".

He was initially charged with murder but pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter at a hearing last month.

In a statement read out in court Miss Huteson's mother said she had been left feeling "empty" and unable to eat or sleep.

She said: "She did not deserve to die. He [Gaskell] has destroyed us all."

In a letter to the judge, Gaskell said: "I know words can't bring Laura back but I offer the deepest apology and hold myself accountable for the events that resulted in these horrific circumstances."

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Goulding, of Humberside Police, described the victim, who had a young son, as "loving and caring".

He said: "Laura's family have shown courage and determination during the investigations and the court proceedings, something they would never have expected to have to experience and that must have been very difficult throughout.

"I hope that the conclusion of the case will now enable Laura's family and friends to move forward and remember Laura as the loving and caring young woman she was."