A RETIRED accountant who stabbed her husband three times has been jailed for a minimum of 18 years, after being found guilty of his murder.

Penelope Jackson, who told a 999 operator 'I thought I'd get his heart but he hasn't got one', killed her husband of 24 years, David Jackson, at their home on Parsonage Road, in Berrow, Somerset, on February 13 this year.

READ MORE: Penelope Jackson to face murder trial over death of husband

Today (October 29), Jackson was found guilty at Bristol Crown Court of murder after nearly 11 hours of jury deliberations.

READ MORE: Penelope Jackson murder trial: jury given a majority direction by judge

Mr Jackson phoned the emergency services at about 9pm on February 13 and said he had been critically injured.

The 999 call was played out to the jury during the trial. Wife Penelope Jackson could be heard taking the phone from him, before telling the call-handler 'I’ve stabbed my husband'.

On the phone call she described stabbing him in the chest and twice in the abdomen, adding she’d aimed for his heart, but he ‘hasn’t got one’. She said she’d ‘had enough’.

The court was told the pair had begun arguing that night following a row over dinner, culminating in Jackson stabbing her 78-year-old husband.

Paramedics were sent to their home, but Mr Jackson was pronounced dead at the scene.

Jackson was arrested and during a search of the couple’s home police officers discovered a note from her entitled ‘confession’. Jackson wrote her husband had been a good father but she had taken ‘so much abuse’ over the years.

Police had been called to the address on December 23 2020 with Jackson reporting being afraid of her husband. Medical experts considered whether his actions could have been linked to a neurological procedure he underwent two days prior and made changes to Mr Jackson’s care as a result.

No further calls were made to police by the couple in the seven-and-a-half weeks preceding Mr Jackson’s death.

Jackson, 66, denied one count of murder.

Temporary detective chief inspector, Roger Doxsey, said: “This is a deeply tragic case, which centred around suspected physical and mental abuse.

“I’d like to pay tribute to David Jackson’s family at this difficult time.

"The past few months have been tortuous for them and they have shown incredible courage throughout this undoubtedly painful legal process.

“They continue to receive support from a specialist officer and have understandably asked for their privacy to be respected as they look to come to terms with what has happened over the course of this year.”

Jackson was sentenced later this afternoon to life in prison with a minimum term of 18 years.

There was a gasp from the public gallery, which was packed with Mr Jackson's extended family, when the verdict was read out.

Jackson did not react to the jury's verdict.